Slytherin's Syndicate
by Clumsy Psychopath
Summary: Grindelwald destroyed half of Europe in his quest for power. Voldemort killed and destroyed thousands for a chance to rule the world. History has witnessed witches and wizards who had stopped at nothing to fulfill their ambitions. But true evil had yet to be given a face.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

Sitting across the husk of whom I assumed was at one point a regal looking wizard, I contemplated the decisions I've made in this life.

I was one step away from becoming the most powerful wizard in Britain.

There was no one who could have possibly stood against me, I had them all killed.

Every man, woman and child who came in my way was swiftly dealt with. Mercy wasn't something I really believed in anymore.

There was only power and those too weak to seek it.

I had back-stabbed my friends more than I had my enemies.

I was at the top of the world... and then karma stuck.

Looking at the ring on my third finger I started laughing, going lip-to-lip with a dementor was never part of the plan.

* * *

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Clumsy Psychopath


	2. Book I – The Beginning

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

* * *

**Book I – The Beginning**

* * *

**A New World**

* * *

After the defeat of Voldemort, my delusions of grandeur were broken.

The world isn't divided into black and white.

They gave me a post with no actual work. A job with nothing to do. I was the head of auror force, but that was only in name.

Since I hadn't completed my seventh year, I wasn't technically eligible for much else.

My vault, which had to my 11-year self appeared to be so vast, had diminished due to the war. After the war, most of it was spent in maintaining our social standards.

Ginny had been a great wife, and even though we were running practically on fumes, she did her best to manage the household.

She had married a celebrity and when the celebrity was not really a celebrity anymore, the spark of love was lost.

My children, James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna Potter were the light of my eyes; they taught me the importance of family.

I understood why my father chose to die rather than run away. For once, the purebloods were right about something. Blood always comes first.

There was nothing I wouldn't do for my family.

* * *

And that's exactly what I was doing at the moment. I was about to sell the sands of time from a time turner I had "acquired" from the Department of Mystery to a bloke I met in knockturn alley.

It was not the first time I was doing something like this, and although not proud of the fact, I can with guarantee say I knew more about the darker side of wizarding Britain than most. My standing as the symbol of light ensured that I was protected.

It didn't hurt that I regularly greased a few hands... Or paws... Or claws... Or hooves...

The meeting started, and the wizard in question didn't have his galleons. Things quickly got dirty, and we fought. A random spell hit the mokeskin pouch, and the sands flew out.

That was how I arrived in 1951.

* * *

Actually, at the time I did not understand what had happened.

Time held no meaning and everything was a haze of colors and sounds.

My first clear memory was from the time I was about three years old. That was 1953: Hence, I estimated the time of my arrival.

I remember my caretakers calling me by a name, something I can't quite remember now.

My insistence on being addressed by Harry and introducing myself with the name eventually wore down the surrounding elders.

We were not rich, but the caretakers were a cheerful lot. The matron used to play with me all the time.

At least she did until my magic flared up for the first time. Children soon stopped talking to me and the elders were wary of the strange happenings around me.

Children are hurtful creatures. They can be harsh.

To them, I was an anomaly. The bigger kids bullied the younger ones and the younger ones became bullies when they grew up and that's how the social structure worked.

I refused to fit in this construct, and so I was an outcast.

For once, I sympathized with the dark lord.

Instead of trying and fitting in with the children, I took the more Slytherin approach and got close to the caretakers.

Things were weird at first, the matron tried sending me to play with the kids, but she came around. To her, I was just an introverted kid with some strange quirks. I wasn't about to correct her.

The biggest advantage of being close to the matron was that I knew where the money was kept. Our declining financial status in my past life had made me somewhat attached to anything of monetary value.

What I mean is, the actual money wasn't important. It was what it represented that pulled me in.

When I was a kid people listened to me cause I was the boy-who-lived, when I grew up I was the beacon of the light, a leader, somehow along the way I got used to men listening to me.

In the last few years of my past life, I used money, donations, foundations, charity, and other such means to maintain my standing. It took time for me to understand that I too desired what every other man desired. Power.

I'm not ashamed to admit that perhaps the dark lord was right... There is only power and those too weak to seek it.

And so I became powerful. I bought candies with the money I stole and kids were quick to follow me once again.

Children are fickle and so are their loyalties. To be honest, they are just like men. Only grownups hide it better. The kids started asking me out to play with them again.

I never played with them, nor did I spend much time with them. The more aloof I became, the more my standing amongst my peers grew.

With time my control over my magic also improved until my accidental flares were nonexistent.

The matron suspected someone of stealing money and I quietly addressed that. I knew the cleaning routine of the old women and hid some money under the mattress of one of the elder bullies.

They caught him.

Seeing my plan unfold was beautiful. It was the first of many times I blamed others for my misdeed.

The caretakers never questioned me. I was after all an angel who helped them keep order in the orphanage, but the kids knew, they knew whom to go to if they needed something. A word from me was the difference between a beating and a pat on the back.

In this orphanage, it was the most power anyone could command. I was at the top of the food chain and I loved it.

* * *

I was seven when I met someone like me.

It was a day just like any other, since I never interacted much with the kids; I wasn't aware that a new kid had arrived at the orphanage.

I was not surprised when I saw a few older kids bullying a boy who looked to be my age. It was nothing unusual and I would normally have left it alone.

Getting into unnecessary fights is usually inadvisable if you want to maintain your power base. You must stay neutral and only take action when you are sure you would win.

So as I said, I truly would have left the kid alone had I not noticed the flare of accidental magic.

One moment a bully was kicking him and the next, his leg snapped in two.

It drew me to him like a fish to water. After staying in this new world for seven years, it was heartwarming to see my kind again.

The kids I lived with were muggles. Try as I might, I could not find much attachment with them. They just were. I neither hated nor loved them.

But this new kid was one of mine.

The dam of emotions I had built after losing everything broke and I found myself walking towards the kid.

The bullies stopped when they saw me arrive. I knew the leader of those misfits. Alex and I had a deal.

Whenever someone donated clothes to the orphanage, it was me who sorted through them. In return for the best of the lot, he had promised not to beat up those under my protection.

Our eyes met and the big guy gave a nod before taking the kid with the broken leg and his friends to see the matron.

Going to the kid still lying in the grass, curled up and crying, I held my hand on his back until he calmed down.

That was the day I met my first friend, Walden Mcnair.

* * *

Days went by and the children realized that I had taken the new kid under my personal care. A few were stubborn about it at first, but some right words in some right ears took care of them.

Mcnair was family and let it never be said that I don't take care of my family.

Years passed and the kid I had saved once grew into a big guy himself. He was the only vestige of magic I had seen in this new world, and so I doted all my attention on him.

Although not proud of the fact, I admit I had always been a short guy. In this life too, while Walden grew more and more, I remained a short kid.

Perhaps it was fortunate that I had met Walden. As the kids grew, they became harder to manage, and sometimes one of them would try to beat me up to show their childish dominance.

Walden never let me down.

Sometimes we won other times we lost and were both beaten black and blue, but he always held my back.

He remembered the times I had protected him from the older kids, not that I had tried to hide them, and had promised to be there for me in return.

It was a childish promise, but it was pure. A promise between two magicals who protected and fought for each other. Hecate had accepted the oath, and I had gained a brother for life.

Those who didn't knew, foolishly assumed that because Walden was the big one, he was my patron. Others knew him to be my dog.

We were content; The orphanage was our world, and I was its ruler. But I knew that the outside world was a much bigger place.

One day we would have to move out of our comfort zone. I promised myself that this time around I won't waste my chance. The world isn't divided into black and white.

The hat was right. I would fit well in Slytherin.

I had spent one lifetime being the savior of this world, this time around I want to be its ruler.

And so time went by until we were eleven.

The stories I had told Walden in the dead of night were all proven right the day our Hogwarts letter arrived.

* * *

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Cheers,

Clumsy Psychopath


	3. Book II – Hogwarts

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

* * *

**Book II – Hogwarts**

* * *

**Year I (1961)**

* * *

As luck would have it, we received our letters together.

Perhaps received was not the proper way of describing what had happened.

For all his loyalty, Walden had left me in the middle of the night on his birthday and snuck out of the window to wait for the letter.

In the dead of night, the kid stayed alone on the roof because I had said that an owl would come to give him letters.

I was in equal parts annoyed and humbled by his belief in me. Annoyed because I wasn't there to personally receive my letter. Walden took mine and waited until I woke up before presenting me with my legacy. I deeply wanted to send a stinging hex towards him, but the lack of wand kept my hand. That and the thought of finally going back to Hogwarts.

The only problem was that we had no money. Sure, we had money, but it was muggle money. It didn't work in the magical world.

* * *

It was after I grew up I realized one of the biggest reasons the ancient purebloods hated the muggle-borns and wanted them to remain in the muggle world.

Taxes.

The magical world didn't recognize muggle money. Given how easy it was to counterfeit muggle currency, the goblins had banned the use of paper notes. It was rich purebloods like the Malfoys who paid for muggle-born. It was probably why they felt slighted when the said muggle-born grew up to oppose them and tried to change the traditions and cultures the ancient families held so sacred.

I can understand why they were so set against the new blood. I would have been too if someone I practically raised, grew up and cried about equality and how I should share more of my wealth with other unfortunate souls.

* * *

But the point stood, the money I had stolen for the past few years was useless in the magical world and so I wrote a letter back to Hogwarts for someone to come and explain things to us.

With a small sum, I bought a penknife for Alex. He was the one bully I was most amicable with. It was a gift, a gesture of good faith to maintain the friendship while I was at Hogwarts.

It won't do for me to have spent all these years in the muggle world trying to remain on the top, only to come back next summer and find myself at the bottom of the food chain.

People are easy to exploit. Give a gift to an orphan who had nothing of his own, and he will always remember you.

The knife was practical. It was cheap. It was useful. It was something that'll last.

What startled me was the look in his eyes.

"I'll always remember you, Harry."

At the time, I had no idea how far he'd go to keep that promise.

I stored the rest of the money in the wallet Walden stole as a gift for my tenth birthday.

Being an orphan he didn't know his real date of birth. All his documents had burned when he had a bout of accidental magic and had destroyed his last orphanage and so had decided to celebrate his birthday on the same date as mine.

I shrugged and let him do whatever he wanted.

* * *

A few days later, a pot-bellied man who introduced himself as Professor Slughorn, visited us.

We spent the day filling in forms that confirmed our status as magicals of wizarding Britain and processing our grants for Hogwarts muggleborn funds.

He looked at Walden funny when the boy filed himself under muggle-born. I was right. Macnair was a pureblood, or at the very least, half-blood. I can't seem to remember my childhood really well, but there had been someone with the same name on the dark lord's side.

He gave a quick pat on our back before taking the applications of one Harry no-name and Walden Macnair and apparating to who-knows-where.

It was a week before he returned; this time, with our funds.

The funding wasn't much, twenty-five gallons per month until our fifth year and then fifty until we passed out, but it was enough to buy all the necessities.

Upon apparating to the Diagon Alley, I gifted him with a can of pineapples that Alex had bought for me(I had paid) and with some patient groveling took permission to shop alone while the portion professor waited for us in the Leaky Cauldron.

Knowing how well versed with the money I was, Walden was more than happy to hand me his galleons.

Our first stop was Ollivanders, makers of the finest wands.

Two wands, thirty-six minutes and eight galleons lighter we made for the goblin territory.

A bank account was necessary for establishing ourselves in the magical society. Opening a new account took six galleons, and further twenty galleons went in to collect dust and perhaps some interest.

Exiting the bank, I was forced to acknowledge the fact that we were hungry, but galleons were precious and so we filled our stomachs with water until we were back in muggle London.

Going through the shops and buying the required books and tools took another major chunk of our depleting fortune and by the time we had bought everything it had left us with six galleons and a few sickles to spare.

The walk back was slow with Walden carrying most of our bags, at least until the professor shrunk it.

Apparating us back to the orphanage, he returned after handing us our tickets for Hogwarts Express.

* * *

Time flew by and soon the day came for me to head back to my first home.

The night was spent restlessly with me reading up on familiar books while Walden kept pacing around the room. At some point, I was too annoyed to put up with it and sent him out before he grated on my nerves anymore.

Most of the texts were similar to what I had in my first year, but there was also some new info here and there.

Passing and scoring top grades won't really be much of a challenge, of that I was sure.

When at length, dawn arrived, we changed and got ready to exit the orphanage and head for the train station.

Our matron took us there and for some inexplicable reason, left us near the barrier before heading back to the orphanage without a word, as if in a trance. I assume the kind professor had used some sort of memory or compulsion charm on her.

Going through the barrier with Walden by my side carrying both our luggage on a trolley, we were greeted with the sight of Hogwarts Express.

Finding the first empty compartment inside, we moved in and waited for the journey to begin.

We were a little put out when a girl our age came in and took the empty seat, but no one said a word.

Judging from her clothes, she came from a rich family and in wizarding Britain rich usually equaled pureblood.

I smiled. From my experience, I knew how arrogant wizarding children can be and had taken care to buy some good quality clothes for both of us.

A few minutes passed by before another boy entered the compartment.

This one I knew.

"Malfoy." giving him a small nod, I went back to my book.

"Do I know you?" The third year in question looked at me trying to figure out if he knew me from somewhere.

When I didn't reply, he turned away with a shrug.

"Bella, Uncle Arcturus has asked me to keep an eye on you." and continued with a small twitch on his lips "Be a good witch and don't make me look for you the next time."

Judging from her face, which was turning redder by the moment and the purple spell, Bellatrix threw at the blonde, I can safely assume that she didn't appreciate the "good witch" comment.

Laughing, Malfoy dodged the spell and moved out the door.

Looking at us, she tried in vain to regain her lost honor. "He's a weirdo. Don't listen to him."

Walden laughed, and the ice broke.

It was only when she introduced herself as Bellatrix Black that I gained any interest in her.

The Blacks were a powerful family. It won't do to play with them. But if I somehow gained the loyalty of this girl, at least I'd be able to marry into old money should my life turn out the way it did last time.

Not that I'd let it, but backup plans were always a good idea.

If only I had remembered then how devoted Bellatrix could be, I would have thought twice before taking her hand and introducing myself with a small kiss on her knuckles.

The journey ended when we reached the Hogsmeade station.

We were already dressed in robes since before we entered the train (When in Rome and all that) and so it took us little time to exit the train and book ourselves a boat.

* * *

The journey to the great hall went smoothly and my happiness knew no bounds as I saw the familiar visage of the tattered hat.

It sorted Bella into Slytherin and I wasn't surprised when the hat announced me to be a Slytherin as well. Walden, my ever faithful companion came and sat right beside me after being sorted into the same house.

It was perfect.

At least until I heard the next name. Wallace Macnair.

How I hated the Gods…

And now I had to prevent Walden from befriending his brother.

I had invested four years in him and wasn't going to let him leave just like that.

After the food, they took us to our dorms in the dungeons where we slept for the night.

The classes started the next day and soon we fell into a rhythm.

Bella, Walden, and I were usually found together going to the classes and dining with each other.

* * *

Fortunately, Wallace had not interacted with Walden apart from a few small nods in the hallway or the common room.

From the rumor mills, I gathered that the Macnair Head had thought Walden to be a squib. Having five children and in no need of a spare heir, he had left him in a muggle orphanage.

I knew that should Wallen get too chubby with his brother; it was possible they might accept him back into the family. I wasn't about to let it happen.

The morning of Halloween came, and I found Walden inside his blanket, crying his eyes out, deep in despair about the life he might have had.

Sometimes I wonder why I still kept the boy around.

Still, it was an opportunity.

Playing on Bella's ego, I asked her as my "confidante" to look after Walden.

It took all my self-restraint not to laugh as she nodded in understanding about how Walden's family betrayed him and how we, as his friend needed to avenge him.

Drinking up my drivel about "How we should protect our own" Bella under my guidance devised the plan to poison Wallace's pet owl.

It was amusing when Wallace's owl turned up dead on the Christmas morning. That the owl died right after delivering the gift to Walden was a sure sign it was Walden who poisoned the owl.

That I also lived in the same room went unnoticed. The small rumor I helped circulate about how Walden was jealous of Wallace sure helped.

In all his childish glory, Wallace instigated a feud against my roommate. And Walden spurred by my inspiring speech given to him a few nights ago about how he was my shield and how he needed to stand up for himself, punched Wallace in the middle of the great hall the next day.

It depressed Bella, and she seemed to blame herself for the idiotic plan that "she" had concocted and relaxed only after I promised her that come what may, it was our secret and that I'll protect her no matter what.

I should probably have taken the hint when she looked at me with color tinging her cheeks.

* * *

The year ended with Slytherin winning the house cup and me the topper.

It was nothing, if not expected.

Before we exited the dorms on the last day, Lucius took me to a corner and confronted me about the happenings throughout the year.

"I don't know what exactly you did, but I know you were responsible for the trouble between the Mcnair brothers."

My lips twitched and for a moment it looked as if he wanted to say something else but then he laughed and went away.

I too smiled before heading for the Hogwarts Express.

* * *

**Year II (1962)**

* * *

I spent the summer break reading second-year texts.

Just as I had thought, Alex remembered me and was happy to introduce his gang to an "old friend".

To make sure he hadn't forgotten me, I had sent him a new set of clothes for Christmas through Muggle mail.

They also arranged a room and soft mattresses for us and things finally settled down after a few days.

The routine was simple; I'd read and research a few books that I had managed to "borrow" from the library while Walden spent his time outside with the boys.

He had grown more and was now a good three inches taller than me.

Although I let him play with the local kids, I reminded him they were not "our kind".

The days went by slowly with me remembering to send a rich feathered quill to Bella on her birthday. It cost me twenty galleons but then again, connections had to be made and Slytherin was all about being ostentatious.

The months passed slowly and soon it was time for us to buy our supplies for the coming month.

* * *

They had provided the grant on time, and of the six hundred galleons I had received over the year, I had stored a decent sum of around four hundred galleons. Besides buying and managing all the necessities for Walden, I gave him pocket money of five galleons each month. Buying gifts for all my "friends" had cost me a decent amount too, but I needed them to remember me as a generous man.

In the first year itself, I had started giving out favors. Nothing big; You need help with your homework? Great! Ask me and I'll take you to one of my friends. You need some money to pay up for a bet you lost? I've got plenty to help my friends as long as you return the amount next time your pocket money arrives or your homework might disappear, rumors might start about how you went bad on your promise.

Life can get difficult if you go against someone with lots of friends.

It was Alex who took us to Muggle London with a friend of his who owned a small taxi.

They dropped us a few lanes before Leaky Cauldron. Alex insisted to let him accompany me, but after a flat refusal, he parted with a small nod.

Of the four hundred galleons, three hundred and twenty went into the account and we spent eighty on buying our supplies.

I also bought a white owl that caught my fancy and gifted to Walden.

We were both gonna use the owl, but because it was my "gift" to Walden, he would take care of the creature.

After buying and getting everything packed, it was almost evening when we headed back to the orphanage.

* * *

Despite my protests, I moved around with Alex for the next few days. He seemed to have a lot of friends in the taxi business and was constantly waiting for one or another friend of his to let him borrow the vehicle and earn some cash.

He was about to turn eighteen next month and had to look for a new place of his own and a job.

A quick decision later, I planned on starting out my venture in the Muggle world.

I took Alex aside one night and offered him to buy a taxi in return for a small payment per month. Muggle money was worthless to me, but giving out something for free is bad business.

His gratitude and his wet eyes were more than enough of proof he would not waste my investment.

And what an investment it was. I bought a man with a few melted sickles.

Before leaving, I hinted on starting up a taxi business with me at the helm and him in charge of day-to-day charge. He still had his boys with whom he used to torment others and having them work for him would only be good for his image.

It would be an adequate incentive.

* * *

On the express we waited for Bella in the same compartment we shared for the last two times, but she didn't arrive until after the train had started.

By Merlin! I had never thought the mad women had in her to cry, but there it was, clear as a day, the visage of crying Bellatrix Black.

Upon inquiring I found out that the gift I sent her had unintended side-effects, her family, while initially surprised at the expensive gift had told her that under no uncertain terms she was not to mingle with filth.

I assume that by filth they meant me. Mcnair was a pureblood name, so they were probably still on the fence regarding him.

A small pat on the head made her smile and soon she cleaned herself.

Gods above! How I detested crying kids. It was a miracle I raised three of my own.

And so our trip continued with Bella assuring herself more than us about how she would be sly and cunning in continuing her friendship.

* * *

The sorting ceremony was soon over and we went back to our dorms. The next few days passed just like our last year with me acing every class, giving out small favors and looking out to make more "friends".

The one rule that I always followed was to let people come to me; It is the most important part in establishing your superiority in any relationship.

Bella had tried to continue her friendship with me, but the increasingly harsh letters from home had affected her. If continued unchecked, I would have lost her, and that wasn't something I was about to let happen easily. And so I picked up the most unassuming, lonely and silent kid to be my pawn.

Augustus Rookwood was from the pureblood family that had in recent times fallen on hardship ever since her mother died.

It was an opportunity, and I was not about to let it slide.

Somewhere along the way to the classes, Rookwood came to hear that Bella was making fun of his dead mother.

That night when Augustus came to the common room, he was shaking with rage. Bella, who had made it a habit of sitting in a corner and moping about her life, was not ready for what was to come. Rookwood's family might have fallen on hard times, but he was pureblood who knew his magic. A quick flash of spell and suddenly Bella flung off her seat.

Time to be a shining knight.

With quick and precise wand movements I sent my spell towards Augustus, throwing him against the wall before summoning his wand to me and walking towards him slowly. With whispered threats and a few kicks, I let everyone know that Bella was my friend and that I always protect my own.

A quick nod and another first-year boy, Amycus let the still crying boy to his room.

It was not my style, maybe once I would have done something like this, but I detested these actions now.

Not the playing people part, rather getting my hands dirty. Normally, I would have had Walden beat up the kid, but I had to establish myself in front of Bella as someone who had her best interest in his heart. Besides, Walden had once again gotten into a heated debate with his brother.

* * *

A letter came to Walden from the Mcnair's head of the house explaining the situation and how he would set up a trust vault for his son and invite him back into his family.

Wallace was of the opinion that Walden was no brother of his.

I applauded Lord Macnair for setting the field so nicely.

On one hand, Walden would no doubt want to go back, if not because of the longing for the family then to one-up his brother. And as an added incentive he would get a vault of his own, and although he had no problem handling the money to me at the moment, it would become a powerful motivator in the years to come.

With a mournful decision, I asked one of my friends to hide a few white feathers in Wallace's bag.

I transfigured the owl into a quill and burnt it.

With the loss of his beloved owl, Walden took the fight to a new level.

I "hinted" him of the only person who had any motive to harm his owl. When the next day Walden accidentally bumped into Wallace and his bag fell open, letting loose a few white feathers, Walden saw red.

No one questioned his superior physical prowess after he took down Wallace that night in the common room.

The whole affair miffed Professor Slughorn, but my word that it was a family thing, and that I'd keep Walden out of trouble helped.

Walden's token of apology, a can of pineapple cubes, on my insistence didn't hurt.

After the Rookwood incident, as students had started to call it, Bella was now assured that she was in the right. Once again, she started eating with us in the great hall, and things were back to normal.

* * *

On a cold December day, I found myself sitting across Lucius Malfoy, who had a favor to ask of me.

I smiled.

Lucius had his eyes set on the blonde Black. Narcissa was one year my senior and also the light of Malfoy's eye. I promised him a date with "the love of his life" and in return, he'd owe me a favor.

Love is blind.

To give an open-ended favor out to someone just for a date. What was going inside the guy's head?

It wasn't easy, but Bella had a few ideas, and with a few choice words about how they would make a perfect pureblood couple, Narcissa went on the journey that would define her life.

A small red rose was my parting gift to Lucius before he went for the Hogsmeade visit.

It was a booming success; The couple was the talk of Slytherin for the next few weeks, and Lucius let everyone know that I was one of the few who had his trust.

Love truly is blind.

* * *

It was during our preparation for the final exams that Bella asked me to help a first-year girl, apparently, she was being bullied by some Hufflepuff named McMillan.

A quick inquiry later I found out that Amycus and Alecto or the Carrow twins as everyone called them, were the kids of a single pureblood mother. Their father was suspected of being in league with Grindelwald and the ministry had seized their family assets.

I would not help them until they asked for it. It was my policy, and I told Bella as much. She nodded and went back to her studies, but the look she had, told me that the topic would be brought up again.

Further inquiry with other Slytherins revealed the reason behind her insistence.

The Carrow twins were cousins of Bella and although to the ancient purebloods, family meant everything, hers had warned her against associating with the Carrows.

* * *

The exams soon finished and once again I was on the top of the list. Slughorn was most happy with my performance and let his opinion know in the common room.

Seeing everything go so smoothly was always something to be wary of, I wasn't surprised when Bellatrix handed me an envelope during our breakfast.

Arcturus Black, the head of House Black had "invited" me and Mcnair to spend our holidays in his "humble abode". Refusing a summon from the House of Black was simply not done and so I prepared my will and got ready to meet the elusive wizard.

Slytherins had won again, and the dinner was just as fabulous as the last time, but somehow my mind wasn't in the food anymore.

Climbing on the train with my two friends in tow, I sat waiting for my doom.

* * *

**Year III (1963)**

* * *

As we exited the train, I found the three of us apparated to a villa in Paris by two men working for the family.

Bella was elusive about the identity of the men, but her rough explanation of vassals and branch family members told me all I needed to know.

Fortunately, the Lord of the House was not available when we entered the vast residence.

The house-elf ushered us to the guestrooms in the western wing.

For the next few days nothing changed, I woke up early every day and went through the notorious Black library while Walden would roam in the fields and ride abraxan horses.

Bella usually followed me around but easily got bored in the library. She was more of a kinesthetic learner and learned spells with her aunt Cassiopeia Black during her free time.

Imagine my surprise when I woke up on the fifth day to find Lord Arcturus looking at me as if I was a particularly fascinating insect. A nod was all I received from the wizard before he left the house again.

Bella explained to me that the ancient Lord liked to collect prodigies. He would help us in whatever ways possible, provide us with the protection of his name, and in return, we had to represent him well.

It was a genius ploy of ensuring connections in high places and cementing the loyalty of men from the get-go itself.

But I was no mere man. No, I understood and saw through it all.

Turned out I was being too paranoid.

I only had a few words with the Black Lord, most of which involved him inquiring about my studies, interests and my co-curricular activities. The stoic man even smiled before asking me about my business of granting favors.

My twitching lips were all he needed to see.

The Lord of Blacks had tested me and had not found me wanting. I was a proper Slytherin, one destined for greatness and the wizard had given me his approval.

That evening, when Bella entered my room, she was practically jumping with joy. My lack of a family name was a mark against me, but now that Arcturus had given me his blessings, few would judge me for it.

The end of our holiday came soon, and we left for Hogwarts on a carriage flown by thestral.

* * *

Upon reaching the school, we soon found ourselves back into the same old routine.

Third year was no different from the years before it. I continued my research on obscure magic while Bella tagged along. Walden, being my right hand, was usually responsible for managing rest of the affairs.

By this time half of Hogwarts knew of the third year boy who granted you a favor and with the possibility of magic included in the mix, the stories went as far as the mysterious wizard being able to summon the dead for the right price.

And so it was Walden, who became the figurehead of my small operation. It wouldn't do well to be implicated if the teachers found something wrong going on.

Those in the know knew that it was me who Walden answered to every night, but only a few were knowledgeable about the inner politics of Slytherin, and they were not about to tell on me.

* * *

Maintaining my grades, sending out gifts, personal congratulations and letters of compliment soon became harder. My schedule grew more and more hectic every day until one day Bella offered to buy gifts in my name and owl them to whoever I asked.

I provided the money, of course, but it was one task off my shoulder.

Bellatrix was doing me a favor, and so I decided not to let it hang on me, looking for the right opportunity I offered her help with the Carrow situation.

At Bella's encouragement and after hearing from several sources about how I was the one you go to when you have a problem and how I protected my own, Amycus finally came to seek my audience.

I already knew all about the situation but let him explain in great detail about how he would do anything for his sister.

It was tedious.

The plan was already in motion, I had made arrangements and called in a few favors.

* * *

After the Halloween dinner, Crabbe and Goyle rounded on a surprised McMillan, binding him and covering his face before he could see either of the two and dragged him off to an empty class before the young wizard could fight back.

In the class sitting in the professor's chair was Alecto Carrow with her wand held in her hand and hate clouding her judgment.

They left McMillan bloodied and with a broken leg, crying for his mother.

The two brutes along with the Carrow twins came in late that night into the dungeons. Just as four pairs of steps drew close, both the Slytherin prefect had an urge to visit the washroom and unfortunately were unable witness whoever was out of bed that night.

It was almost as if they did it intentionally but without solid proof no one was willing to point any fingers.

The next day, everyone knew that something was wrong. McMillan had suffered heavy injuries and yet insisted that he had fallen off the stairs before crawling into a random class.

Every Slytherin knew what had happened. A favor had been called for and I had granted the wish.

Bella looked at me with stars in her eyes and was especially hostile towards any girl who dared approach me.

The Carrow twins were more than grateful and began following me like lost puppies.

Mcnair's reputation grew and more people came in to see if they could get help with something or other.

Every night Mcnair took my permission before calling in any favors and handed me the journal where he kept a record of all his transactions, every knut lent, and every favor granted.

* * *

The sailing was not always smooth, sometimes things went sour and to get back at him, kids tried to round up on me.

It was obvious to even the blind that Walden deeply cared about me. That he practically carried my stuff whenever we were together easily gave it away.

What they misunderstood was the dynamics of our relationship. They thought since I was the smaller, cheerful guy who had friends in every house, I was someone Walden had taken in under his protection. The truth couldn't have been any further. They understood their mistake when I sent half of them to the infirmary.

It didn't stop Walden from sending some students to keep a lookout for me.

* * *

On one of the few nights, I found myself alone, I snuck into the restricted section to look up for anatomy and medical texts. I had an idea on how to expand our little operation, but I needed some research.

I never expected to meet the second year Augustus Rookwood. He was going through the section on mind magic with a fervor. After observing for a few moments, I approached him. To say he was terrified of me would be an understatement. He shook like a leaf.

Was I truly that frightening? Was that the image I had made for myself?

Deciding to help the boy out of pity and for using him the way I did last year, I sent a quick glance at the parchments and books he had in front of him. Then it hit me. The boy was searching for a book on occlumency. It was not a book one could easily find in the school library. As I turned around to go back to the dorms, a small, breaking voice begged me not to tell anyone he was here.

When the owl I typically used for sending out gifts brought a coverless book on the Christmas morning to Augustus Rookwood, he had tears in his eyes.

Running down to where I was in the common room, sitting with my entourage going through the reports Alex had mailed me about the business, he practically bowed and thanked me again and again.

It was Amycus who took him back to his room before he made a scene.

* * *

We did the preparations for the final exams after the nightly meetings. Somehow our small group had grown and now included 6 members. Walden was the biggest of us. He sat on my right side and Bellatrix on my left. Beside her sat the Carrow twins and beside Walden, Augustus Rookwood.

In the beginning, Bella seemed put out when I brought in Rookwood, but she held her tongue and that was all I needed. She helped Walden pass the exams and despite what his nature might have suggested, Augustus, we soon found out was a prodigy.

* * *

It was a few days after the final exams when I received a summon from our Deputy Headmaster, the resident expert on transfiguration.

So much for staying under the radar.

The first time I saw him, I felt mixed emotions regarding the man. On one hand, he was like a grandfather to me in the previous life and on the other, he had raised me to be a sacrifice for the greater good.

Interactions with him were few since it was actually a young Minerva McGonagall, who taught the fascinating subject to the first five years.

It was with great trepidation that I went to his office after dinner. Walden offered to walk with me, but I refused.

The meeting was tame compared to what I had expected.

Interestingly, the professor was more focused on my visit to the Black Villa than anything. Based on our conversation, the professor seemed to think it was actually Mcnair who was responsible for what happened to McMillan.

It took all I had to not laugh when professor Dumbledore told me how he knew from his visits to the orphanage that I usually kept the bigger, rougher boy in check, and how he hoped for me to be a good influence on the said boy.

On the plus side, my ploy to make Walden the face of my operation was paying off.

As long as they made no direct complaints against Walden he would be safe, and with Bella helping him study, it won't be hard for him to pass the exams.

* * *

The last day soon arrived, and for the third consecutive year, I was the topper. Teachers favored me and most if not all the students bragged to one-another about how they knew me "personally".

Life was good.

Getting into our usual compartment, I wondered what the future might have in store for me.

* * *

**Year IV (1964)**

* * *

The journey back to London was as boring as it could have gotten.

We parted at the train station and Walden and I headed through the exit on the muggle side. A taxi was waiting for us, courtesy of Alex. The driver locked our luggage in the backside, and we were taken to what looked like a two-story warehouse with rooms on the first floor.

In the warehouse were a few cars being repaired and Alex, directing some men near a corner.

After a warm welcome, by the standards of men, which comprised him throwing a beer towards us, he took us to the office on the upper floor. It was there that they conducted the business. In a corner, an accountant was managing a few ledgers. In another, few men were on the phone having heated discussions.

I didn't miss the nods and sometimes, a small bow pointed towards me. Alex had done well to keep his word.

In the past two years, he had expanded and now owned a dozen taxis roaming in every corner of the city.

And that was just the legal side of the business.

Last year I sent him a few melted galleons and sickles using which he had expanded.

Once a part-time driver was now one of the most powerful man in the city. They carried his drugs through the city using the taxi service and my money working behind the scene helped smooth the road.

But the most important thing was that he had not forgotten our deal.

He might be in charge, but he still knew to answer to me. Only a choice few knew me to be the actual head of the cartel. To others, I was Alex's brother, not by blood, but someone he had become close to while his time at the orphanage.

Those who knew the first one bowed, others nodded.

* * *

Next few days went by with me resting and getting to know the books before I broached on the subject I had researched on during the last year.

The effect of narcotics on wizards.

Wizarding world had made lots of advancement where potions were considered and had I sold portions, sooner or later, they would have caught the person behind it.

Not to mention that you need magical ingredients to make portions and also portion lab to brew it. Plus, I had no one to make it for me.

Drugs were cheaper to produce and could be made by my muggle establishments.

The results weren't exactly conclusive, but I found that a few naturally occurring psychedelics if concentrated enough, can produce the high in wizards.

Walden was the test subject to check if the final product worked as it should.

It did.

* * *

We spent the summer in one of the free rooms over the warehouse. It was much better than the orphanage.

Before the end of the holidays, we went to Diagon Alley to buy our books and clothes for the coming year.

The bank account now held a decent sum of around seven hundred galleons. It would have been more, but I had increased Walden's monthly stipend to ten galleons and had gifted the Carrows three galleons each, per month. After living the first few years of their lives lavishly to have been reduced to their state, it was hard for them to get used to it. Their mother had taken a small job in the ministry but it was barely enough to get them by.

In the wizarding world, the fate of a poor pureblood is worse than that of a muggleborn.

* * *

After completing the shopping which mostly comprised me buying and Walden tagging on beside me carrying the bags, we came across an apartment in a corner, on the second floor above what looked like a clothes store. Upon closer inspection it turned out to be Gladrags Clothing shop.

The building had three floors with the shop at the bottom and the owners of the shop just above it. The top floor was out for sale.

The decision was made before we even thought about it.

It cost us eight hundred galleons of which we paid five hundred as a deposit and left the rest for a later date.

We spent the next few days finalizing the deeds of the apartment, something Alex had no problem signing for me.

As we entered the train, for the first time we knew that we were a part of something bigger now. We had a home, an anchor to the wizarding world.

* * *

The first few days of the fourth year were just like the previous years, with us being tested more often and the homework longer and much more complex, but I drudged on, topping every test and acing every class.

The teachers constantly used me as an example to their other students, and girls giggled whenever I found myself near them.

Puberty was difficult to deal with the first time around. It wasn't any easier this time.

Fortunately, I had Bella to keep them at bay. All it took was a small remark about how beautiful she looked every couple of weeks.

* * *

I hadn't thought the decision through when gifting little Rookwood the book on occlumency.

He now had this idea that I was his friend. And although he was always respectful while addressing me, respectful or not I neither needed nor wanted to hear how badly his father treated him.

The little urchin was usually found by my side in the common room reading one of his books.

It was on one of these nights I found out why he was so desperate to protect his mind.

Augustus had witnessed his father murder his mother right before his eyes.

The elder Rookwood had fought against Grindelwald by Dumbledore's side and so had used his friendship and what little political clout he had to remain out of Azkaban. They took the lack of any evidence as a sign that the wife ran away.

It captivated me. And here I thought I was evil.

Ruffling his hairs, I said the words that Augustus needed to hear, that he was one of mine, that I'd protect him, that I'd fight for him, that I won't forget him.

The kid was brilliant, only thirteen, and he was more adept at mind magic than I ever was.

All because he feared that one day his progenitor might kill him.

For all his brilliance, he was, but a child.

* * *

Amycus sold the drugs I brought from home. It was only a test to see how the wizarding population would react to narcotics.

Unsurprisingly, Gryffindors were the one who bought the most.

Glad that the drugs had their intended effects, I ordered Alex to manufacture as much as he could.

It was so hit that Amycus had finally started to move around with a couple of fourth-years, courtesy of Walden to prevent anyone from rounding up on him.

The business on Walden's side was also booming, just as I had expected.

And then Halloween came.

* * *

Wallace, who had stayed silent last year, had somehow convinced McMillan that it was Walden, who had granted the favor that had resulted in his broken bone.

We were unprepared when the two boys along with a few other Hufflepuffs rounded up on us.

For a moment we were back at the orphanage, us two against everyone else.

Slowly but surely the tides turned, and after a few minutes of firing curses, they ran away.

We won, but it hit our reputation.

Inquiring about the boys opened a new can of worms. They had all shared a similarity.

I had totally missed the fact that the Dark Lord was active. And those foolish kids belonged to the latest batch of recruits.

Looking through the other Slytherins, I found some of those whom I remembered to be powerful fighters in the last life.

And I found the perfect candidates for being the right hand to my right hand.

When Bella asked me out on a date that Christmas, I gave her a small kiss before asking her to bring those two to me.

She was a beautiful girl, and knew how to use her beauty to make men do what she wanted.

She made the Lestrange brothers, my soldiers.

Rabastan Lestrange was the elder brother, the one Bella had charmed and Rodolphus Lestrange was the younger one, the one who would follow his elder brother to the depth of tartarus itself.

The brothers became the constant companion to Mcnair.

* * *

McMillan had moved against me and I vowed to return the favor.

Amycus had asked a few junkies to join in on the fun.

We paid the debt back in full.

Magic wasn't used, someone could have tracked it. No, we did it the muggle way.

The fifth year Hufflepuff perfect had owed me a favor and turned a blind eye when the boy came back that night with a swollen eye and a bloody nose.

The incident happened just before the final exams, and those poor kids were unable to prepare.

Constant "pranks" which usually resulted in them breaking a bone was a major reason why they flunked that year.

* * *

Results arrived and unsurprisingly, I had aced yet again.

The career counselor, my esteemed head of the house, invited me to a special club from the following year before asking me what I wanted to do with my life.

Crime lord didn't seem to be a polite answer, so I shrugged.

According to him, I would have probably made the Minister of Magic if I continued as I did.

Minister of Magic had a nice ring to it, I thought.

* * *

On the train back to London, I noticed the doors of our compartment closed with blinds drawn in from inside.

A quick alohomora, and I witnessed the Carrow twins in the throes of passion, snogging each other like there was no tomorrow.

I sighed and sat next to the window.

The twins looked red glancing at each other and then at me every couple of minutes.

My lips twitched as I opened a book I had "borrowed" from the library yet again.

In a few minutes, the rest of the entourage entered and finally, the twins relaxed.

Whatever they did in their alone time was their personal business. As long as it didn't affect me negatively, they can drown themselves for all I cared.

Looking up, I saw my companions enjoying the last day of their fourth year together.

Yes, life was good.

* * *

**Year V (1965)**

* * *

Alex had a few guys pick us up at the station.

Our first stop was the warehouse.

Under his watchful gaze, the cartel had grown. They laundered the dirty money through the taxi franchise and had also bought weapons for "security" purposes.

I had noticed the rise in activities in the seedier parts of Britain. The incident with McMillan also forced me to take preemptive actions. Although I had no love for the muggle world, it was not in my best interest to let the wizarding world come into full view.

Voldemort was about to become more active in the coming years, and I needed a dedicated group of muggles to deal with situations.

The taxi service was my safeguard in the muggle world.

Each of the taxies held three people, a dealer, a bodyguard, and a driver who also had the keys to the lock where they kept the drugs.

Alex gave me a ring to identify myself, to call men to my aid should I be in any trouble in muggle London.

After giving him a few more ingots of gold and spending my next few days checking the books, I went to our apartment in Diagon Alley.

* * *

The advance allowance for the next six months I had asked for from our esteemed professor last year, something he had no problem giving out once I had told him of the flat we bought, was transferred to my account to protect us against bankruptcy.

While I took care of the business, Walden used the time well and transferred all the luggage to our new home.

It was a simple three bedroom apartment, nothing to brag about, but it was ours.

I settled in the master bedroom and Walden took the second biggest.

After the fight with his brother the previous year, he had wanted to discard his family name. My insistence kept his hands from making it official.

In our world, family names are important tools and I needed every advantage if I wanted to fulfill my ambition.

Opening the guest room, the sheer stupidity of my oldest friend awed and shocked me.

The shelves were packed with drugs.

Closing the door, I stopped everything and went down to buy a mokeskin pouch as fast as I could.

After some deliberation, I bought an extra pouch.

In the first one, I kept most of the narcotics, Walden would be the one holding on to it and in the second I kept the rest of the drugs.

Amycus had become known for the drugs we tested out last year and was to become my lead dealer.

Walden was already in much trouble and making him the head of my wizarding drug cartel would have been idiotic. He still was a step above Amycus, what with most of the drugs in his possession, but it was something only Amycus would know.

* * *

That week we met Amycus in the ice cream parlor. My explanations to him about what he was to do for me mostly comprised of how I believed in him and how he was one of my most trusted "friend".

A few discreet hints about how the money would make life easier for Alecto was the final push he needed.

Going to Gringotts it was an easy task for me to set up an account under his name.

The rules were simple; I had charmed a journal where he was to note down all the transactions. I had already secured an automatically updating copy of the journal in my vault, not that Amycus knew that. Or for that matter, Walden that his journal too had another copy in my vaults.

All the money he made went to his account and at the end of each month, the goblins transferred the total amount to my account. In return, I promised to take care of all his expenses and those of his sister.

He was very grateful.

I took his promise of always being loyal with a pinch of salt. If he ever betrayed me, I knew where his sister slept.

After a day of shopping and giving him his pouch of narcotics with instructions to take more from Walden if need be, we parted our ways.

Walden stayed silent the whole time, always a step behind me holding my bags.

That was something I loved about the boy, he knew when he needed to be quiet.

While we handled business, he was my subordinate, not my oldest companion.

* * *

I spent my next few weeks cleaning the books and instructing Bella to send proper gifts and letters. Although by then, it was rather pointless. Bella, as I came to know, was good at socializing, fantastic in fact. At any point, she knew of what was going on in the personal lives of half the Hogwarts population.

And she used it all for me.

Have I ever mentioned how I felt about love?

* * *

When we finally started the classes that year the talk of electives was all I heard.

Personally, I chose Ancient Runes and Arithmancy.

My grades continued to be excellent. The consensus of the general student population was that I was a genius who had a likable personality and seemed to know everyone and their owls personally.

I even tried going to some of Professor Slughorn's parties and making a few more connections.

It was a useless chore. I already knew all the students invited into the slug-club.

My respectful decline to attend any further meeting because "I wanted to become successful by merit and not by nepotism" something I made sure other professors heard when I said it was pure genius.

I had no idea they could love me any more.

Once, where they allowed me to read extracurricular materials in the class, now they didn't even expected me to submit homework.

That I always did it and submitted every assignment with above average calligraphy on time made me the ideal student every professor aspired to teach.

Not that I rebuffed them. Miraculously, I seemed to know all of their birthdays and those of their children if they had any. And I always remembered to send them cards.

* * *

But it was not all sunshine and roses.

Lucius was the head boy.

He and I had yet to talk more after the Narcissa incident and although I did him a favor, it was not something I could call in for anything serious.

I knew that Lucius would one day become Lord Malfoy with a ton of connections and gold, and it was an advantage I was unwilling to easily let go.

Something had to be done.

* * *

In the past few months, Amycus had already gained a massive following and had made me lots of galleons.

Initially, it worried Alecto, but I took her aside and told her how I take care of my own and that Amycus was handling my business.

A new dress robe and a pretty necklace helped.

* * *

Rookwood had grown into somewhat of my protege. Only a year of practice and already it was near impossible to break his memory charms.

I had checked by having him charm a few girls to fall in love with the guys who had asked for "susceptible" dates as a favor.

* * *

From the transaction records Amycus gave me every night, I noted a young Weasley girl who seemed to have a strange crush on Lucius. How could anyone love that man was beyond me, but sure... Whatever...

On my command, Amycus had given out the girl free samples in return for some light probing.

* * *

Bella recently had a fight with Narcissa and was happy to spread the rumor that Lucius loved a Gryffindor Weasley.

When the redhead heard it, she began stalking Malfoy.

Malfoy cursed her once, but someone had apparently told the girl that the blonde was playing hard-to-get.

What Amycus didn't knew was that I had also planned to spread the rumor about how close he and the Weasley girl were.

When Alecto came to me crying, I gave her a concentrated dose of drugs, something if used correctly, would solve the problem permanently.

* * *

Halloween came and my plan came to fruition, Amycus usually called the girl into one of the empty class and gave her the drug, but this time it was Alecto who was waiting on her.

I had someone mix light sedative into one of Lucius drinks.

Making an excuse to take Malfoy back into his room, Crabbe took the boy to Rookwood, in exchange for the question papers of final exams.

It took a few moments for Rookwood to plant hazy memories of Malfoy killing the girl in the blonde's head, after which we dropped the guy in the same room as the Weasley girl.

Mcnair called in some favors and asked the Perfects not to monitor that part of the castle. They thought it was for a couple indulging in some body explorations.

It took minutes for the girl to die of an overdose.

Alecto came to the dorms shaking and sat beside me. I gave her a nod, and she smiled.

That night I woke up to face a hysteric Malfoy.

He was trembling like a leaf, between sobs he explained to me what happened and begged to make it all disappear.

That was how I gained the undying loyalty of Lord Malfoy.

Telling him to go to his bed and that I would take care of the problem, I went to the class.

I transfigured the dead body to a doll and gifted it to Alecto, with a promise that I'll always be there for her.

It took two days for everyone to notice the missing girl.

A week later, Bella stole the doll for me and I turned it to ash with a small application of fiendfyre.

While some people thought the girl to have killed herself after the rejection by Malfoy, the rumor mill seemed to swear that someone saw the girl taking off in the night's dead with a boy on broom.

A month and they added the mysterious disappearance of Ms. Weasley to the unsolved mysteries of Hogwarts.

* * *

It was a few days before our finals that Professor Dumbledore stopped me after one of his transfiguration lectures.

Apparently, it was he who gave the idea for them to make me a perfect, hoping it gave me the power to keep my friends in check.

Not that any other teachers disagreed. Professor Slughorn nominated me for the youngest ever head boy. They passed it on, but no one rejected the fact I'd make a good head boy.

After thanking him profusely and pointing out the fact that Walden had been no trouble this year, upon which he smiled, I exited the room.

* * *

When the results arrived, everyone already knew even before I opened the envelope that I was about to top the exams.

They were not wrong.

Collecting my luggage and exiting the castle, it surprised me to see Walden surrounded by Wallace and three other kids.

They suspected that it was Walden, who was circulating drugs and were threatening to turn him in.

Sitting in the compartment for the first time in many years, I saw fear in his eyes.

It was an opportunity I had been looking for a long time.

A promise that I'd take care of the problem was all it took to bring peace to the bigger boy's mind.

The world was a big place, and I had only two years before it forced me to face itself.

Preparations had to be made and plans had to be set in motion.

The train started.

* * *

**Year VI (1966)**

* * *

Similar to the last time, Alex had me picked up.

The activities of the Dark Lord were bleeding into the muggle part of London.

I took him aside to talk.

He was told that some shadier associates I conducted business with had gone rogue. I explained the wizards as Nazis with powerful scientific weapons. Alex agreed to protect my interest in London.

Acting on my past life's knowledge and the one I gained through some discreet inquiry in this life, I had prepared a dossier of known supporters of the Dark Lord. Alex agreed to keep a lookout and bounties on all their heads were announced.

We ordered the men to shoot on sight.

The drug business was going well, and he was planning on expanding his footing to smuggling with the help of the Russian mob.

It was all useless for me, but I provided meaningful insights wherever I deemed fit.

Smuggling of goods was not something that had much scope in the wizarding world, but if Filius and Hagrid were anything to go by, human trafficking was a dark taboo which many wanted to explore.

Hmm... A Whorehouse... Something to look into at a later date.

* * *

Most of my imminent worries were about what I wanted to do after Hogwarts.

I had the patronage of the Blacks so landing a good job won't be hard, but I wasn't built for a simple ministry job.

Teaching held no interest for me.

Business was a viable option. It was something that could score me good money in the least time.

Then again, delving into business was also a necessity. After Hogwarts, I needed a business to clean the money I made through drugs.

Sometimes life's just not fair.

It was a competitor of Alex who gave me the idea. I needed to introduce the magical world to the wonders of casino.

Unfortunately, it wasn't something I could have done at the moment. For one, I was underage; other, the business was to be utilized for less than legal reasons. I had to hand it over to somebody to manage it for me.

It also needed massive cash flow to take off.

Once again, something to think about…

* * *

The courses for the sixth year were actually challenging, and so I spent the rest of my holidays studying.

Walden had letters coming in regarding the first operation I started at Hogwarts. He was the one handling it all. I only inquired about it now and then.

It was fortunate I had assigned the operation to him. Multiple times Walden and the Lestrange brothers had gotten into fights with other kids.

Unlike them, my reputation was yet to blemish.

Checking the three other drugs Alex had prepared for me, I gave them the sign of approval. We then gave the samples to Amycus to check if they had any place in the market.

They had.

* * *

The classes began once again on September first.

It was weird to see Walden with so many lackeys.

Bellatrix was still in love with me. My lack of time for her didn't seem to make much difference. If anything, she was even more persuasive.

And that girl knew how to be persuasive...

Damn puberty.

At least a few kisses in private were enough to satisfy her. I kept playing with her feelings, never completely embracing them, but not refusing them either.

Love's a powerful motivator.

It's a jail, a trap, and I had caught her in mine.

* * *

Rookwood was still a lone wolf who spent most of his free time following me telling random tit-bits of what those around me were thinking.

Amycus also had more than a few students surrounding him at all times. He had started using first years for sending the packets to their required destinations.

After the last year incident Alecto had really come out of her shell and now wasn't afraid to be a little more open with Amycus.

Perhaps more open than those around them felt comfortable with.

Fortunately or unfortunately, they only took their orders from me and mostly ignored what others thought of them.

* * *

Walden was now constantly on the lookout for his brother.

One day he came running to me. Apparently, he had rounded on Wallace when his brother had threatened him for the umpteenth time. In his rage, Walden had beaten his brother really badly, and the boy had hit his head before he stopped moving altogether.

I went to the empty class where it had happened. At least Walden was intelligent enough to do it where no one had seen him. Blood was all around Wallace, and he seemed to have crossed the mortal plane. A quick check revealed that he was alive, if only barely.

Poor Wallace.

I announced him dead and made sure the body was taken care of.

The school was in an uproar once again as another student went missing.

* * *

Some suspected Walden, but no one had any proof. Upon inquiry, I provided Dumbledore myself as Walden's alibi and assured him that despite all the bad blood, he had still loved his brother.

Albus was someone who knew how brothers could be.

I let everyone know that Walden might have hated his brother, but more than anyone the incident had devastated him.

Since there was no magic used, Walden's wand came clean. I had already burned our clothes and clean the blood thoroughly.

Walden would forever blame himself for killing his brother.

Plus, he would always be grateful to me for protecting him from Azkaban. He would also defer to me more in matters of business.

Seeing all his lackeys had made me afraid that he would find his own path.

Wallace's murder was a way to make sure that my oldest friend would never betray me.

* * *

Lucius was at this point working in the ministry and had not forgotten to send me gifts for Christmas.

I had proposed to him about opening up a whorehouse. Initially, he was wary of the idea, but on my command, he talked to people about the ways we could make it possible. Loopholes in laws and such.

The money from Amycus was coming in at a huge rate and I had a decent income even here at Hogwarts.

The whorehouse wasn't something I could manage myself. It was bad business.

I had to look for someone who could manage my interest.

And who can run a whorehouse better than a whore herself?

I told Alecto that I had a job opening for her after her Hogwarts years. Upon inquiry, I mentioned something about a chain business and that the details were not yet finalized.

She was grateful.

For a poor pure blooded girl like her, the chance to land a decent job was nonexistent.

My hint that Amycus and Alecto could together run the business sweetened the deal.

* * *

We gave the finals, and the year came to an end with the great feast.

Dumbledore had taken over as the headmaster during the year and at the feast, they confirmed it that Professor Dippet would retire.

Once again, we took the compartment which had for the past six years been our personal car.

Parting with Bella with a small kiss, I turned towards the muggle London.

* * *

**Year VII (1967)**

* * *

Walden was still not back to his former self, so we directly went to the Diagon Alley instead of visiting Alex. I asked Alex to send his books through one of his lackey in front of the Leaky Cauldron.

I needed to do something about his funk. For the last few months, I had the Lestrange brothers take care of Walden. It was getting irritating.

This was my last year at Hogwarts. Most of what I had wondered about after passing out from the school in my last life, I had researched and went through in this.

I had enough funds to lay back for the next couple of years and look into esoteric magic, but I decided to establish a name for myself before delving further into the arcane.

Having the Blacks as my patron was not enough. I had to make a name for myself.

An inspiration stuck, but it would have both good and bad consequences.

* * *

Concentrating on the ledgers I cleared my thoughts of useless musings.

I mostly spent the summer trying to clean all the journals and getting ready for the final year.

The surprise came when I one day caught Walden strangling a small bird.

I was wrong.

Walden was not just traumatized by his brother's death. He was in equal parts fascinated as well.

When he brought up the incident that night at the dinner, I stopped him with a simple comment. He needed to look for an executioner's job in the ministry. He nodded, and that was the end of it.

* * *

Going through the seedier parts of Knockturn Alley, I had found the perfect location for my whorehouse. It was a small building with lots of rooms.

Walden took care of the talking and bargaining. They agreed to transfer the building's deeds over to us next year after passing out of Hogwarts.

* * *

When the letter came informing me about the choice for the head boy, I smiled.

I had never attended the last year of Hogwarts so this was to be a first in both my lives.

The holidays ended with little fanfare. Getting on the train, it took a few moments for us to locate Bella. She was firing spells at someone. Again.

Seeing me she ditched the duel and jumped to hug me.

Later I found out that the girl was apparently taking out a competition.

* * *

Rookwood was once again by my side as we entered the castle and found our seat at the center of the Slytherin table.

On Hallows eve he came to inform me of a Slytherin who was regularly getting roughed up by some Gryffindors. It took some time for him to understand that I was not running a charity case.

A few nights later, when the prefect told me that a third year by the name of Snape had come in late the previous night covered in scrapes, I began my planning once more.

As my Christmas gift, I told Rookwood that I'd take care of Severus, but for that to happen, the boy had to come to me.

* * *

My Christmas went just as I had planned, with Bella in my arms in the astronomy tower. It was the most romantic I had ever been towards the girl, and she seemed to enjoy every moment of it.

We spent the night talking (read: she talked, and I listened).

Merlin! The girl had issues…

In the early hours of the dawn when all the talk was over, and she laid in my arms, snuggling, with an idiotic smile on her face, with great care I revealed to her my most prized secret.

My acting alone should have gotten me some awards.

I told her of my ability to talk to snakes.

For a moment she didn't believe me, but when I summoned a snake and ordered it to bind itself into a knot before jumping off the tower, she had no other choice.

It was as if she was seeing me under a new light. A few times I caught her muttering under her breath about how it should have been obvious that someone like me must have had a noble ancestry.

In Magical Britain, few things screamed noble louder than the language of snakes.

My ploy had worked. The girl started spending more and more time in the genealogy and ancient families section of the library.

Although she told no one, it was clear that she wanted to prove me to be the direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin.

In her eyes who could I be, but the noblest of the heir.

* * *

It was in early January that Severus finally had enough and came to me. Though he never told me directly that a werewolf attacked him, I had known of the incident from the past life.

Giving him my word that I'd take care of the situation, I discreetly handed him a few galleons to get some decent robes. Having already had heard stories about how I took care of those under me, he gave a jerk of a nod before running off.

Now to find the kid responsible for the incident.

Not that there was much to find, anyway. I had already known it was all planned by Sirius.

Alecto got the new job of finding everything about the golden Black.

My father's group was not amongst those I interacted with. It was shocking to see that they were bullies. There was nothing good or righteous about their actions. Snape was weaker than them so they bullied him. Plain and simple.

At least, James was tamed. Sirius, on the other hand, was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He was a Black. The only reason that might explain his house was that he had argued with the hat. He had some serious issues, no pun intended. Coming from someone who had practically lived with Bellatrix for seven years that was saying something.

* * *

The classes in the seventh year were mostly career oriented and where one should focus after graduation. A few who had decided to pursue masters around the world were busy getting letters of recommendation from various professors.

A small letter from Alex was the only sign that Voldemort had started attacking the muggle London. His team had shot a few unsuspecting young recruits and had sent me information on them.

It was getting too tedious for me.

* * *

Amycus, still being true to his word, had never once cheated and in fact, was more respectful towards me than ever.

He and his sister would stand in my presence and only sat when asked. It was new, but I took it in stride.

At the time I thought since I was about to pass out, and won't be schoolmates anymore, they were respectful towards their future boss.

It was later when I was chatting alone with Alecto, and she referred to me as her Lord I got the idea that maybe Bella had let these two onto the secret.

Bella, too, was now more courteous than before. While she once jumped on me whenever we were alone now she sat waiting for me to take the lead. It was a welcome surprise.

I had no interest in Bella, sexual or otherwise.

Me not having to waste my time with her was a gift.

Not that I left her altogether, a few kisses here and there, holding her hands in the public, little gestures like these went a long way in ensuring that she remained happy.

* * *

Slowly the time for our finals came closer.

Rookwood was more silent than ever. To cheer him up, I gave him the responsibility to make sure Snape was not bullied.

Humans needed missions to live on. A goal to strive for. Something to do. With me out of Hogwarts, Rookwood needed an anchor.

I had not invested so much only to lose him.

Ordering Amycus to provide some money for Snape, I began preparing for the finals.

* * *

The exams finished, and they awarded me the honor of addressing the grand feast. There had never in the history of Hogwarts been a student who had in every single exam they ever took aced the subject. And my speech made sure everyone knew it.

On the final day of my stay at Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore summoned me. The old wizard was trying to make me join his order. I wasn't about to choose a side, and so I refused the offer.

Sometimes not choosing is the best choice.

For once, a somber silence filled the compartment as we rode to London.

* * *

Like it? Hate it? Review and share your opinions…

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Cheers,

Clumsy Psychopath


	4. Book III – The War

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

* * *

**Book III – The War**

* * *

**A Brother (1968)**

* * *

With not a lot to do, I took an entire week to collect my thoughts.

A month passed and finally, I was old enough to be considered an adult in the wizarding world. The first thing I did after that was to transfer the deeds of our apartment back on my name.

The next few weeks went managing the muggle business.

Now that I was out and free of Hogwarts, I had more than ample time on my hands.

After a few meetings and discussions, I decided that venturing into a private security business was something that would be useful in the long run. Also, it would give us more freedom in the muggle world.

Alex made sure that everything was properly executed.

We had more than enough money in the muggle world to smoothen out the process.

* * *

Business at Hogwarts was running just as I had hoped. I had created a well-oiled machine.

Amycus sent me regular updates and notes regarding things he found interesting.

It was a shock when I found that my father along with Black heir were foolish enough to take both Rookwood and Severus head-on.

Although they hurt the two boys, it was nothing compared to what their own housemates did to them after I instructed Amycus to make sure they understood their mistakes.

Sometimes I forgot how powerful mere words could be.

Both the gryffindors finally learned their lesson. No one messed with those under my protection.

* * *

I paid in full for the building we had selected last year and hired workers to repair and restore it.

* * *

In the days to come, the upper echelons of our society were excited to bear witness to the marriage of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black.

I went as his best man and Lucius was grateful to have me there.

I was after all, the most brilliant Hogwarts graduate in recent history, and Malfoy was proud to let everyone know that we went long back.

* * *

Walden, who once ruled over Hogwarts, was still coming to terms with the fact that the world was a much bigger place.

Still, he knew the drill and was making connections again.

But business for him was slow.

Remembering our conversation from last year, he called in some old favors and got himself a job.

He became an executioner. More accurately, he killed the wild, rampaging beast, who threatened common populace.

* * *

Bella usually spent her time in my room sitting in a corner, going through old tomes. She still hadn't given up on proving my noble heritage.

Had I known it would take so much time, I would have revealed the secret to her in the sixth year itself.

* * *

I wrote a letter to Alex regarding my newest venture, and he promised to send me a dozen well-behaving girls.

If his business with the Russians was anything to go by, I was sure that people would be more than willing to pay good money for a taste of my exquisite goods.

Through the year I had explained to Alecto about the venture and her role as the boss of the said venture.

For years, she had seen her brother, Walden, and Bella order students around, and was more than happy to become my newest lieutenant.

* * *

When Arcturus summoned me it was unexpected.

He was not pleased that I had ordered a hit on the heir of his house.

That he threatened me with the fact he had concrete evidence of me killing Wallace Mcnair was enough to point out his displeasure.

I wasn't sure what sort of evidence he had but I wasn't about to take any chance.

Sirius, according to what Alecto had told me, was estranged from his family and had tried running away in the past.

I struck a deal; In return for him handing over the evidence I would make sure that Sirius would take on the responsibility and ascend to the Lordship after Arcturus abdicated his seat or died, whatever came first.

I threw in a promise to look out for Sirius to sweeten the deal.

An apology would have been much simpler, but it would have required me to bow before the man.

* * *

Summer arrived and so did the Carrow twins.

They had finally passed out and unknown to me had already booked an apartment in the building beside us.

* * *

To keep the promise I made to the elder Black, I sent Walden to befriend the most level-headed of Sirius's group.

How they bonded over something as disturbing as lycanthropy would forever remain a mystery to me.

When Walden told me he had found a little brother in the kid, I blinked.

Nothing shocked me anymore.

* * *

Just as Alex had promised, he drugged the slaves before sending them in front of the Leaky Cauldron.

Had Walden not found another way to enter the Diagon Alley, it would have made things weird.

As it was, there were multiple ways to enter the Alley, but only if you knew the right places to look and the right people to contact.

Walden and Amycus helped in smuggling the girls while Alecto was off, planning a grand-opening of her business.

* * *

Rookwood visited me occasionally. One day I caught him trying to hide a bruise from me.

I offered him to move in with us, but he refused.

To each, their own, I suppose.

* * *

Amycus was still in his element. He had trapped many students who had passed out over the years in his "business" and was already owling psychedelics to kids who were too weak to handle real life.

Out here, he continued expanding.

Upon questioning, he explained to me that he had already set up a base of operations in Hogwarts before leaving. The first years he had once used to distribute drugs were now old enough to sell the drugs for him.

The money came to his account and from his account, it came to mine.

A well-oiled machine indeed.

* * *

True to my predictions, the whorehouse was a massive hit.

* * *

**Sibling (1969)  
**

* * *

The year started off with the news of the elder Malfoy making his peace with worldly affairs.

As his only son, Lucius ascended as the head of House Malfoy.

For me, whom Lucius owed his life to, it was great news. Lucius could now act more freely in my favor.

He had to work for a year to get the proper papers for the brothel, had he been Lord Malfoy then, it would have been much easier.

* * *

The brothel was doing wonders.

When I had opened it, I had no idea of the intelligence and dirt one could gather from such a place.

Alecto kept track of all the dirt and blackmail. I reviewed them every week before sending them to my vault for safekeeping.

Not all my associates were having such a good time though.

* * *

Rookwood had finally had enough when his father, in a drunken stupor cast cruciatus on him.

He was at my door in the middle of the night. I gave him the guest room.

The next day, when Rookwood sat with us at the breakfast table, no one batted an eye.

* * *

Walden for most parts when not at work or around the alley meeting with peoples and granting them favors, spent time with the werewolf on my behest.

Not that he minded, over past years, they had exchanged letters and Walden had bought the young boy gifts now and then.

The ploy had paid off and when Walden went to Hogsmeade to meet Remus, he was introduced to the Black heir.

* * *

After almost two years of me hinting about my special ability, Bella had finally made a breakthrough. I'm sure she wouldn't have been able to do so had the younger Black heir not helped her in researching about the lost families.

For a while, it had become an open secret I was the last of the line of an ancient and pureblood house, and all my associates walked on eggshells around me.

The elephant in the room drove me crazy until I finally came out.

Inviting all of them to dinner one night, I finally announced what Bella had found out about my heritage.

The small murmurs of m'lord had finally stopped being murmurs, and they openly addressed me as such. For the next few months, they were even more formal with me. Something I had absolutely no problem with.

Bella, who had taken to sleeping on my bed, had once again taken a step back and acted formally when we were in public. Small mercies.

Things slowly calmed down, but I had missed one minor fact.

The Dark Lord knew that someone had been looking into the history of the Gaunts.

* * *

**Grindelwald (1970)**

* * *

I was once again sent a reminder from Arcturus about the deal I had made to him regarding Sirius.

* * *

Alex sent monthly dossiers about the death eaters his gang took down. Acting openly against the dark lord was suicide, but with him here it was only a matter of time before he would have asked me to bow before him, so I had to do something about that.

Taking care of fresh recruits was all I could do for now.

* * *

Alecto had taken up her business with gusto and now her pleasure holes also served goblette and mermaids.

It was only a matter of time. People want what they can't have, and Alecto knew it better than anyone. Interspecies was a taboo long held in our world.

Bella was happy to spend her time meeting old lords together with Lucius and using her family connections to ensure that I received my legacy at the earliest.

* * *

Knowing it was only a matter of time before everyone knew about my status as the last of Gaunt, I sent a letter toward the only potential ally who could help me fight both sides at once.

"Happy twenty-fifth anniversary. Hope nurmengard is serving you well." the letter read.

* * *

When the elder Rookwood one day entered our apartment drunk and uninvited, looking for his son, it was the last nail in his coffin.

Friend of Dumbledore's or not, Augustus had finally decided that enough was enough.

I was lucky to apprehend him before he killed his father.

Was I just as rash in my younger days? A stay memory of me facing the basilisk with nothing but a sword reminded me that no, I was much stupider.

His father was the lord of his house. It was impossible to kill him and get away with all the wards around that place. No, we had to be clever.

Besides, simply killing the man served no purpose.

* * *

For the past month, I had seen Regulus in the Diagon Alley. Since it was summer, it wasn't all that suspicious. What was suspicious was the fact he seemed to follow me whenever I got out on the streets.

After Augustus, one day discretely read his mind and informed me that the boy was trying to collect as much information on me as possible before going to his grandfather with the fact I was the last living descendant of Salazar Slytherin that a plan came in motion.

It had to be done before the holidays were up.

Had Bella known what we were planning to do, she would surely have tried to stop me. And so we kept her out.

I stared at a few letters I wrote for wizards I knew were at St. Mungo as I waited for her to enter the room. When Bella saw me paying no heed to her, she focused on the letter and offered to deliver them the next day. I hinted that since St. Mungo was so near, it would only be polite to take it to them in person.

Hook... Line... Sinker...

I told Alecto to keep a lookout for Bella, and if she found her they were to look for a new building for Alecto's establishment.

She didn't know the plan either, but it was better this way.

Amycus and Walden had been waiting for the elder Rookwood outside one of his customary holes while Augustus went to kidnap Regulus.

The bartender, one of Walden's associates, had no problem in mixing drugs into the elder Rookwood's drink. As soon as the older man fell unconscious, Walden and Amycus took him to one of the silent alleys and broke his wand. When Rookwood came with a sleeping Regulus, they steeled themselves for what was to be done.

He planted a memory in his father's mind, of a ruffle between them two after which the elder Rookwood had taken out his silver knife from the inner pocket and plunged into Regulus's throat.

Walden did the dirty act, and the gloves provided by Alex kept any evidence at bay. Taking care to not step on blood, the three came home, leaving the two bodies to topple on each other.

When the elder Rookwood finally gained rationality and saw himself over a dead boy cover in blood, he apparated away as fast as possible.

The paper described it as an open and shut case.

Aurors had found the dagger used to kill the child; They traced it back to the old man who usually drank in the nearby pub.

The broken wand was the dead giveaway of the identity of the man.

Apparently, the drunk wizard had tried to force himself on a random child. The boy had fought back and broke the wand of the older man. Enraged, the rapist had killed the boy before apparating away.

The perpetrator in question had holed in his home and raised all his wards.

That the boy in question was one of the noble Blacks was just a coincidence.

Not even the friendship with Dumbledore had protected the man from receiving a lifetime in Azkaban. Had Dumbledore not fought for the man as hard as he did, he would surely have received the death penalty.

Arcturus had been beyond furious and was determined to get justice.

The political capital that Dumbledore lost was huge. It was unnerving when I saw him the next day sitting in a corner in the alley drinking tea without a care in the world.

For the whole time he drank tea, he had been staring at me. He knew or at least he suspected something about me.

* * *

We went along with Augustus to Regulus's burial and then to the villa when Arcturus asked us to follow.

The part where I walked by Sirius's side and glanced their way as Arcturus questioned Augustus about his father was masterfully done on my part.

For the past few months, I had Walden leave subtle hints about the chinks in the headmaster's armor.

When the Black heir heard who had defended the rapist, it was the last straw.

It broke his faith in the old headmaster.

Sirius would turn on the headmaster and go back to his family.

I always followed up on my deals.

* * *

**Lord Gaunt (1971)**

* * *

Apparently, killing his father had not been the closure that Augustus had needed.

In the next few months, I found him sulking around the apartment. His eyes were mostly dead at this point. He had no reason to continue. Every day was a chore. So much potential and so much time wasted just like that.

I gave him a purpose once again.

Unlike Amycus, Walden, Alecto or even Bella who managed my social life, Augustus had nothing to do except sit around and read old tomes, that he had salvaged before the ministry locked all his properties and giving them to the Blacks as a reprisal for the sin his father had committed.

He was a Ravenclaw at heart. I wasn't ashamed to admit that despite my vast knowledge, the young Slytherin was superior to me in terms of raw genius.

I had just the job for him, something which would both give him a purpose and me a spy.

* * *

The death of her brother had only given Bella more of an incentive to finish what she and Regulus had once worked on together.

At the annual meeting of Wizengamot that year, I stepped up and took the oath as Lord Gaunt.

It wasn't cheap.

The dirt provided by Alecto helped. A lot.

* * *

In the moment of somber realization that the headmaster was not all they hyped him up to be, Sirius had found solace in Bella's arm.

It was Walden, who took Bella to Hogsmeade as he went to meet Remus. When they had found Sirius there, both siblings found themselves sharing with each other stories of Regulus's childhood.

Weeks had passed before Sirius had been willing to address Bella as his sister, but finally, he had come around and was now back on his way to mend the relations with some of his family.

He had yet to move back to his home, but he had no problem undermining Dumbledore in the Order's meetings.

* * *

Staring down at the family ring I had commissioned for myself, I regarded the letters I had received in the past few months.

Grindelwald was too convincing for his own good. I had to do something before I lost myself to him.

I needed to cut the problem while it was still in the bud.

* * *

**An Impromptu Introduction (1972)**

* * *

The one most unaffected by the recent happenings had been Alecto. She had gone above and beyond what I had expected.

This year marked the opening of another one of her high-end brothels.

Places where the pillars of our society can let themselves lose in fantasy. They were the ones who paid hefty sums for some very specific requests.

I did not understand where Alecto bought half the things she did.

I wasn't even sure about the existence of half-boggart half-human, let alone of it being a fetish.

Compared to this, child-prostitution was tame.

Amycus was the one who provided these high-end establishments with good quality dope.

* * *

Walden perhaps was the only one truly satisfied with his life. He had a decent job that fulfilled him, had found a younger brother in Remus and had connections in high places.

Although nowadays he granted audience to only a select few, and fewer still were lucky to be granted favors by him.

In the lobbies of the Wizengamot, they hailed him a legend, the devil who granted you favor in exchange for your soul. And everyone knew whom the devil served.

Following up on the plans I had for Augustus, I asked Walden to make sure that the younger boy got a job in the department of mysteries.

When he came back home a week later, to tell me how he had placed Augustus's file in the recommended section of the Department of Mystery's recruits, I didn't pay much attention.

When he told me of the girl he bumped into at the ministry, it was obvious from his looks that the bloody cupid had struck again.

I suspected Hestia Jones to be a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

That she had "accidentally" crashed into my right hand was more than suspicious.

I tried getting information through Sirius, but it was useless. He had a falling out with the headmaster and was no longer in the know.

* * *

A week later, when Amycus informed me he had seen Snape in a brothel looking as if someone had killed his owl I held my head in my hands.

All my proteges were one by one falling apart.

Granted, I hadn't built the best of foundations and in the process might have messed up their childhood, what with basing entire relationships on lies and whatnot... But they should have shown a better mental fortitude than this.

Things went worse from there on.

* * *

It seemed Lord Voldemort had enough of waiting and watching and had kidnapped Bella from the street. Bellatrix was no slouch in dueling, that I can confirm so at least she would have taken down a few before falling.

The invitation I received from Nott manor confirmed that the dark lord was eager to meet me.

I had no choice.

After a delicious dinner at Nott Manor, they left me alone in the library with the boogeyman of Britain.

For a moment he looked at me as if watching a fascinating creature and then he asked my name.

When I answered him back in Parseltongue, he smiled.

Lord Voldemort, who knew more about dark magic than any wizard alive knew more than most the sin of slaying kin.

After a rough negotiation that lasted through the night, we decided against fighting one another.

In return for not swearing my fealty to him, since being the lord of his house, it was technically impossible for me to swear my allegiance to his blood, I would provide him with monetary support and support in the Wizengamot.

The meeting ended when Bella was brought into the room.

As a parting gift, he allowed me free rein on all my businesses provided I do not mar our family name.

The meeting with the dark lord had once again forced me to contemplate my lack of powerful allies. I had Grindelwald but who knows when he might betray me. I wasn't foolish enough to assume that Grindelwald would help me without wanting anything of equal value.

* * *

In a fit of inspiration, I summoned the wayward prince.

Turned out, a girl had rejected him. Taking deep breaths to control myself, I schooled my features.

What was it with those imbeciles and love I never quite understood.

A few words of encouragement and an offer to get the poor boy apprenticeship under a German portion professor were enough to break him.

He cried while I sat next to him not knowing what to do.

But I wasn't doing it for free and I let him know that. I had a special mission for him. Something that no one could ever know of.

* * *

**The Vice (1973)**

* * *

The kidnapping had affected Bella. Something that was hard not to notice.

Her attraction towards me was deep a few days ago, it was something anyone could have seen if they paid enough attention. After the incident it had grown into something fanatic, something hard for even the dumbest of man to not notice.

Apparently, seeing me stand up to the Dark Lord for her (or at least that's what I assume she thought based on what Augustus pieced together from her mind), I had passed some prince charming test.

Seeing her make those eyes at me was disturbing.

On the bright side, she was training even harder now and had bought in some ex-aurors as extra security.

Few understood the power of weaponized love.

From what I knew, I should probably count Dumbledore in those few.

* * *

Walden's meeting with Hestia had increased, and they had finally gone on a date.

I needed to do a background check on the women before she entrapped Walden any further. I'm not the sort to share my toys. But that's something that was postponed for a later date.

At the point, I needed to arrange clean money. Galleons I had plenty, but most of all were stored in a heavily warded trunk kept under a fidelius charm hidden in my room.

What I had a problem with was using the said money. Before using drug money, I had to launder it.

What better way to do so than a casino?

The magical world was perhaps not ready for the game of chance.

Seeing as I was a new Lord in the gathering, I didn't have enough connections. At least, overboard.

I needed for someone to vouch for me and so Lucius became my partner. With me pitching in eighty percent of the money and Lord Malfoy other twenty, it took the better part of the year but finally, we were ready to open the casino.

In actuality, I paid the entire money. I paid Lucius the amount which he then gave back to me through legal channels. There was only so much I could have explained with anonymous angel investors as an excuse.

Since Rookwood was busy in the department of mysteries and I didn't want to reveal much to Hestia, it was Amycus who ended up becoming the face of the Casino.

Not that I had any complaints with the boy. He was good at what he did and he didn't steal. There was nothing more I could ask.

That he was in a relationship with his own twin was a difficult pill to swallow, but then again, both of them worked for me so there was no problem as long as they behaved when on the job.

The opening of the casino led to a big question of security. We needed guys whom we can implicitly trust. Walden handled that problem.

Remus had been living with a few other werewolves since he had passed out. Getting a job for a creature like him was difficult, so when I offered them food, shelter and good pay they were happy to join.

When the lives of these few werewolves bettered over the next few months more came looking for the job. We sent them to maintain peace at the brothels.

Remus became my liaison to the werewolves. He directly answered to me.

* * *

Alecto had been good with money and had bought a dozen house-elves under the banner of House Gaunt and sent them to various locations to help.

I spent most of my time ensuring that the business ran smoothly, rest of the time, I spent in the chambers of ministry, lobbying.

When Dumbledore finally confronted me with the fact I had placed one of my friends in the department of mysteries, I knew that my jig was up.

It didn't matter to him that Augustus deserved the job, that he was a true scholar, what mattered was the fact I had placed one of my men in the deepest level of ministry.

Dumbledore had done his homework and was planning to take me down before I became too much of a nuisance.

To make a breathing room for myself, I used Alecto's black book and let a few photos drop in the office of the Daily Prophet.

Putting it nicely, Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth had a deep fascination with the bodies of young centaurs.

It was a cheap shot, but it netted me a few months to prepare for war.

* * *

** Wands and Weapons (1974)**

* * *

While all my allies and companions were busy preparing for war, stacking up defenses and collecting intelligence, Lucius Malfoy was busy with his newlywed.

I knew it because he came to me one morning looking like a man high on crack, announcing his heir.

The surrounding war had not stopped the couple from enjoying their personal time together.

Then again, in times like these when no one was safe, siring an heir was a prudent choice. The missus was due later in the year and had chosen Scorpius as the name for the future heir of Malfoy.

* * *

My attempt at securing time wasn't much of an attempt.

Although it had Dumbledore in the spotlight for a couple of months, it wasn't something he couldn't have easily navigated through. It hurt neither his political clout nor his standing in society.

News like this was akin to simple crackers, they were loud, but at the end of the day, the opinions and thoughts of the sheep were nothing people like us concerned ourselves with.

While he tried to help his brother, I had Alex clean our shit.

The monthly dossiers I used to send now also contained lesser known members of the order of the Phoenix.

No one Albus would miss too dearly or look too deep for, but I persisted. Remove enough small cogs and the machine will surely fall.

My muggle establishments were secure, but I needed my men to move around just as easily in the magical world.

* * *

In the next few weeks alone, both the aurors and the Order of the Phoenix raided several brothels and Amycus's hideouts.

Dumbledore had declared war against me and mine.

It was not something I probably would have done myself. A three-way war is not something that can easily be predicted. And it was a three-way war as far as it concerned me.

Albus thought of me as an upstart who needed to be stopped before I joined Voldemort and turned into a major problem.

And the Dark Lord was not exactly unpleased by the prospect of more monetary support to fund his war. That he thought me to be the son of Morfin and thus his cousin by blood didn't hurt our relationship.

Initially, I had thought Voldemort would try to kill me for taking on the title of Lord Gaunt, but I was the son of the last male heir of Gaunt's and he the son of last female heir. As per the laws of magic and ascension, I had the better claim to Lordship.

I love our patriarchal society.

* * *

The werewolf guards were a help, but I couldn't have them use magic. A creature using magic against a wizard was a big no-no in our prestigious community and they could be killed on the spot for the transgression, not that it would have stopped them from serving me but I had ordered them to stand down for the moment.

Manpower was not a resource I was willing to lose easily. I asked Rookwood to get hold of some untraceable wands from his office. It would take some time, but I'll have a well-equipped army.

A well-equipped wing of fifty well-trained men will always win against five hundred enraged mongrels.

* * *

I had not forgotten about my promise to the Lord of Black, but for now, I had plans for Sirius. Asking Bella to arrange a meeting with her brother for me was a simple affair.

Then again, with the number of social connections she held in my name, I could have asked her to arrange a meeting with the minister himself and it would have barely taken her an hour to do so.

The meeting went as I had planned. The hot-headed Gryffindor was happy to blame every bad decision he had made in his life on Albus. And his parents, but that was neither here nor there.

It took some time for me to explain to him how I too was a paragon of virtue and that unlike Dumbledore I would not let Voldemort kill good witches and wizards if I had any say in the matter.

His offer to take up arms in my name was heartwarming but ultimately futile, I needed a spy in the order.

Poor Sirius thought of himself as oh so brilliant, outmaneuvering and fighting against two of the most powerful wizards of our time. It was practically a wet dream for any true Gryffindor.

I wasn't about to ruin his fantasy.

Also, I still was unsure of Hestia. So many people had changed their allegiances that basing my predictions on the incidents that happened in my past life was practically useless.

* * *

Christmas came, and it was as if Death had himself sent me a gift.

The future heir of Malfoy was stillborn.

It devastated the Malfoy couple and Bella's advice of changing the scenery for a while had them moving to the South of France.

Lucius came to the only man he could trust with his life, me.

I became the regent of the Malfoy family while they recuperated from the loss.

* * *

**Fashionable Clothing (1975)**

* * *

Selecting Sirius as my spy was perhaps one of the better decisions I made in those years.

He was active and discreet enough not to let anyone know of his status and relayed all the information to Bella who then made dossiers for me to look at them at a later time.

Albus was happy to have the heir apparent of House Black under his thumb and by this point, his meetings with Bella and Walden were so commonplace that no one batted an eye anymore when they saw Sirius spending an evening drinking tea with her.

Then again, the Blacks had a tendency to marry in family, and no one wanted to look too close in his and Bella's relationship.

It suited me just fine.

* * *

The werewolves had received their wands, courtesy of Rookwood and were more than thankful to me. For some of them, it was the first time they had held a wand. With tears in their eyes they swore themselves to me and my blood.

For all his brilliance, Tom had forgotten that loyalty through devotion while it took much longer to cultivate was also more powerful than loyalty cultivated through fear.

Once they had received the wands, Amycus's operations had grown much more powerful. He was now planning to expand out of the country.

* * *

Grindelwald even incarcerated had more connections in each city of the European continent than I had in the whole bloody Britain.

I contacted Alex and had him venture into shipping.

The wizarding society of free states was not ready for what was coming for them.

* * *

Bella had finally revealed what had worried me for so long.

Hestia was not a part of Albus's order. I was right about my memories of my past life being too shaky to base future decisions on.

But it didn't mean, Hestia was gonna live. Nope.

Contrary to what I had once believed, Walden was not the scum of the earth. I knew not what sorcery Hestia had trapped him in, but against all rational thoughts and logic, Walden had bought Gladrags and had decided to settle with his soon to be wife.

At first, I thought he wanted to open a chain store for clothing as a front end to launder the money we made from drugs.

But no sir.

Love was not only blind but also retarded.

Hestia had to go, all I needed was a chance.

* * *

Dumbledore was once again becoming a thorn in my side. Honestly, if killing him wouldn't have disrupted the power structure of half the world, I would have tried something already.

Not that anyone I knew could have taken on the wizard.

Grindelwald had tried. That too when he had the elder wand, look where he was now.

Voldemort could have done so, but he was a Slytherin. Powerful he was without a doubt, but unless the situation called for it, he rarely fought in the front line.

Growing up, I had been an idiot, I wasn't one now.

No, I took the path less taken.

I took the dossier Bella had been busy with for the past few months and went to meet the dark lord.

Among the many names, I had seen fit to add one more.

Hestia Jones, for a long while I had wanted to remove you from my side.

Dudley had once broken a toy soldier I had found in the park. I won't let anyone take my toys from me ever again.

* * *

**Loyalty (1976)**

* * *

Severus Tobias Snape had finally returned from Germany.

The first task I had in store for him was to prepare for me a poison, something that could pass through the paranoia that the Blacks seem to always suffer from.

Apparently, he had made waves in the potioneering society and was now hailed as the youngest potion master in recent history. "Recent" I had found out, for typical wizards and witches who could live up to two hundred years was a long, long time.

But Severus's achievements were not what had interested me, no. He had come back from Germany. Which meant his mission was over.

Grindelwald was a threat.

When I say threat, I don't mean a threat to me, or the country or the world. I mean him to be the definition of the word itself, and so I had needed to neutralize the threat.

For the past five years, Severus had spent a day each month discreetly near the facility getting to know the defenses of nurmengard, and slowly poisoning the water supply. Nothing that would show up, but leave it in the body for a decade and it'll destroy you.

If Grindelwald got a proper check-up, the medics could have found the poison and perhaps cure him, but another five years and the poison would be in his every vein, becoming a part of him.

Only when I was sure that no magic could help Grindelwald would I be truly satisfied. As it was now, the old wizard was constantly giving me hints about how helpful he could be in my fight against Albus.

* * *

Dumbledore had received a massive hit when Voldemort struck his key supporters.

It crippled his Order and only then he noticed the irregularities in Sirius.

Killing Sirius was not something Albus could have done. After the death of his younger heir, Arcturus had been too paranoid and had arranged a small security detail for his last remaining grandson.

With his Order in tatters, Albus lacked enough men to make a move, but he had let Sirius know that the boy was on the outs with the elder wizard.

Not that the hit had stopped Albus from making a move against me.

Someone had found that Rookwood had been pilfering artifacts from the department of mystery and Dumbledore had the man.

The man, some Diggory boy who had thought himself to be the beacon of virtue, had gone to Albus and was ready to testify in court against Augustus.

Sirius was still on my side and regularly stopped by to see Bella, who now lived with me.

He still was friends with Remus, whose gratitude towards me had only made Sirius more susceptible to my manipulations and James, who had little problem keeping his continued relationship with his childhood friend, a secret from Dumbledore.

Albus had made a mistake, in the aftermath of his half-destroyed Order, he had decided to not cause any more damage and doubts and had thus not told anyone of Sirius's treachery. All they knew was that Sirius was shaken up by the incident and had wanted some time off.

With his own men, six feet under Albus was now using aurors to harm my business. A few of Alecto's brothels were under examination for child prostitution, but I had faith in her.

* * *

Lucius and Narcissa had come back to Britain and had taken back the reins of their business.

I was reluctant, but as I had found out in the past few years, holding on to power was too much for me. I was better at managing my lieutenants, who in turn managed my empire for me.

Narcissa, who had over the years became even more emotional if not foolhardy was used to make Sirius finally see that family was important, that only true blood would forever be on his side, through thick and thin.

That his parents had already died earlier in the year, courtesy of the poison I mixed in the small homemade cake Bella sent them for their anniversary helped.

Sirius had finally realized it and the wayward son now wanted to return home.

* * *

The death of Hestia had made Walden into the man I once knew him to be. He once again killed creatures in his free time. The clothing business he had bought was too much for him to handle and was passed on to me.

Everyone handles grief differently. As long as Walden's way didn't hurt me or my plan, I was happy to accommodate my oldest companion.

I was now the proud owner of the entire building along with the shop.

Voldemort, I had suspicions, was proud of his younger brother. The letter I received on my birthday, naming Diagon alley to be my domain, was a welcome gift.

Having Walden back to his old self was nice. The old Walden would never have helped me threaten the Diggory boy with the lives of his family.

Turns out not even the most shining of knights wants to see his daughter turned into a whore.

As long as he protected Augustus, I promised the boy I wouldn't take the girl from her family.

The next day, when Albus lost his biggest card in the court, I kept my promise and left both the mother and the girl with each other. In a brothel.

That was the last day anyone saw Diggory.

* * *

**Setbacks (1977)**

* * *

Lucius was once again up and running. He was back in the Wizengamot fighting for me against Dumbledore.

My time as the regent of Malfoy had been fruitful, and the family was richer than it was before.

I had hoped that after seeing the profits, Lucius would not dig up for more of my actions. Had he done so, he would have found that I had transferred some of his lands onto subsidiaries of mine. On the paper, it was a simple pruning of dumps which took more resource to maintain that they generated but the significances of their locations were huge.

I was right. Lucius never looked too deep.

* * *

If things went according to plan, then in a few years the Dark Lord would fall and I would be in just the right place to become the Minister of Magic. With so many lords in my pockets and others whom I can persuade with the dirt Alecto had, I was sure it wouldn't be too hard.

But to be a Minister, you needed to be married. Unfortunately, the position demanded me to be a paragon of goodness and I had to be a good husband for the people to cheer me.

On hearing my proposal, Bella passed of happiness. I did nothing to wake her up.

For the past many years she had kept many of the guys on the hook, most of them were heirs of noble houses like the Lestrange who worked for me. It wasn't something she liked, but it had been what I had asked of her.

When she woke up, the first thing I did was to make sure she understood that there would be a few changes in our relationship. And that she still had to maintain her affairs.

I knew she would save herself for me and that she was powerful enough to tear a new one if someone tried to be too "friendly" with her.

* * *

Sirius had finally taken up on the offer to go back to his family and I made sure it was me who took him to Arcturus.

The old fossil had been ecstatic.

When upon the insistence of Bellatrix, I formally asked the head of House Black for the hand of her granddaughter in marriage, he agreed at once. It seems he had been waiting for me to come to him regarding the marriage for a long time.

I had kept my end of the deal, but there was something amiss, I had yet to receive what he had promised me.

Over the years, I had concluded that Arcturus had been bluffing when he had threatened me with the murder of Wallace Mcnair. Seeing him giving no sign of handing over any evidence, it confirmed my suspicion.

Instead, what I received was a huge area of land as a gift for building my home.

Arcturus wasn't about to let his granddaughter live her entire life in an apartment.

Inside, I was seething with rage at being played at for years, but I controlled myself. Logically, the gift I received was just as good if not better, but I promised myself that Arcturus Black would pay for playing me.

* * *

Back home, I had summoned my most loyal men for the announcement.

I commanded Amycus to transfer as much money as possible in my account. Building a magical manor could take years and the sooner we started the better.

The raids on my brothels had started to hurt and with the manor I had to fund my galleons into, I wasn't about to let the business fall anymore.

Alecto was quite embarrassed that I had to walk into one of the low-end brothels to check up on the business.

I ordered her to get everything cleaned up in the earliest. The useful ones were to be sent to work on the property I had recently gained and the liabilities had to be taken care of.

She took the hint when I opened a vial of clear liquid and dropped a few drops into the pool on the side where a few mermaids lived. Soon the bodies floated.

Seriously... Mermaids?

And people told me I was weird.

* * *

**Parley (1978)**

* * *

Walden was now once again up and running like he used to. Now that he had recovered, I handed him the clothing chain-store.

He had no problem in using them to clean my drug money.

Not only that, he had even made more money on the side. He had started what he called the "Women's Section". A deal with witches weekly had netted him quite the following.

I had no sense for fashion accessories so had only a few traces ideas of why a panty with a hole would sell for more than a panty without one. Maybe it was a woman thing.

Then again, maybe my lack of "personal" interaction with the fairer sex for the past twenty-eight years had hurt me more than I realized.

* * *

Diagon Alley, a gift to me from the Dark Lord had seen no fightings in months. There were no death eater raids, and the werewolves handled any problem that arose.

It was only natural that Severus opened a shop under my dominion.

He had a small apothecary in one corner where he sold portions at exorbitant prices. Something about people not deserving of his craft. That man had a huge ego.

* * *

Most of my legitimate business or at least those which looked legitimate were doing fine, but the more unsavory ones had picked up trouble.

Aurors had raided ports and business was at an all-time low for Amycus.

I finally came to accept that Dumbledore was playing the long game, and that there was no winning here.

We could both fight each other for the next few decades and it will do no one any good.

A parley was in order.

Fortunately, Albus was of the same opinion. His forces were thinly spread and the auror he was spending on me were better used going after Voldemort.

In return for the peace-treaty, I offered him fundings.

Money really was a powerful tool. For the last few years I had been funding the dark side and now I was funding the light side as well.

Grindelwald had been right, there was no better way to defeat your enemy than to let your enemies take care of each other and I had no problem in providing them both with resources to tear each other apart.

Had there been no war, I wouldn't have been able to achieve what I had.

War truly is a boon to the economy.

* * *

**Home Sweet Home (1979)**

* * *

It took close to three years for the central wing of my manor to be ready.

The forest around the manor was home to a few centaurs who were released by Alecto from her service.

Initially, she was about to kill them, but I had a better idea. A few generations of guards around my seat of power would be much more profitable than a few hundred pounds of centaur meat in the black market.

Though that's not what we led the talking horses to believe. To them, I was the savior who came to rescue them of the slavery they were in. They knew that Alecto worked for me, but as far as it concerned them, Alecto had been selling their bodies without my knowledge.

* * *

Walden came to give in reports every day, but with me in the manor, I needed someone to hold Diagon Alley in my name.

The building where once Gladrags stood became the seat of power for Walden Mcnair.

His father could never have been able to give him as much as I did.

* * *

For the past year, Augustus had gone underground what with all the cases against him, but he was now back into the action.

He had been in the ministry for years now, and he had built up his own connections.

Although I had negotiated a peace treaty with Albus, it didn't mean I was about to trust him. Under all those garish robes and cheerful smile was a mind sharper than the sharpest blade. I knew we were not done.

And so, I had asked Augustus to buy aurors.

It was the only department that held any real danger against me, and I had no way to place any of my men at the top of that department, Dumbledore would have never let it happen.

Bribing aurors was the only thing I could have done.

It helped that the families of those aurors who worked for me gained immunity against the Dark Lord, as long as they did nothing foolish, that is.

* * *

The party at my new seat of power was the talk of Britain. The guest list was basically a who's who of the wizarding world.

The manor was still incomplete, but it didn't stop me from being proud of it. In my last life, I never had the money it took to build my home from scratch. We had renovated the cottage in Godric's hollow and moved there.

This time around, I had more than enough money to do as I wish.

Few understood the true reason behind the party.

I spent the time rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers of this world. I was a powerful man in my right, but these men came from old money and Arcturus Black ensured that they knew of my intention to be elected as the Minister of Magic one day and that I had the backing of the elder Black.

It was not enough for me to forgive him.

He was doing this intentionally to make sure I know, it was his connections that got me to the chair. And once I'm on it, it would be Arcturus who would guide my hand.

I wasn't gonna be anyone's puppet.

* * *

While I was being led by Arcturus, I had the same done for Severus by the Lestrange brothers.

Snape was being introduced to the higher echelons of the society as the last of the Prince line.

The line had died out with the death of his maternal grandfather a few years back and with no one contesting for the name, the wizengamot had frozen his family seat and all the assets.

People knew what we were trying to do, but none stood against it. Severus was a brilliant man and knowledge was something that everyone respected. Of this, the Dark Lord was a prime example.

Severus's arrogance was just as equal if not more so than the people surrounding him. Surprisingly, it only put them all more at ease.

But the one thing that captivated me most through the night was the looks of my future wife.

That night we lost our virginity together.

* * *

**Lord Prince (1980)**

* * *

When Lucius came to visit me in my manor with a look of barely contained excitement, I knew that I wasn't the only man in the room fornicating like a rabbit for these past months.

I was right.

The missus was once again pregnant and with a boy no less.

I almost smiled when Lucius informed me they were planning to name the kid Draco. At least, now I knew why the kid was so spoilt.

The Malfoy couple had taken extreme measures this time and keeping in mind my adage of "protecting what's mine" had in all their infinite wisdom named me the godfather of the unborn kid.

My reluctance to perform any unbreakable promise was not a problem. Anyone who knew me knew that I was a man of my word.

* * *

The Lestrange brothers were very helpful in filling out the forms and arranging meetings for the new Lord Prince with the "right" sort of people.

My hints on how Rabastan and Bella might make a fine pair had made the man's day. If only he knew.

* * *

Business on the muggle side was going great.

Using the right connections, courtesy of Grindelwald, not that Alex knew, I had in the past few years procured some old warships which could with some remodeling, be used for shipping.

I was the proud owner of a small armada.

* * *

Alecto had picked up on the slack and trimmed down her business. At the moment, she only had a few high-class brothels serving only the elite of our society.

Walden had been careful to not fall in love with anyone. He had confided in me that after what happened with Hestia he would probably never marry.

He was working day in and day out. It showed.

My last seat of power was soon the biggest, cleanest and busiest shopping district in the whole of Britain.

* * *

It was Christmas when I found the new Lord Prince bowing before me.

Amidst all the chaos, my godson was born.

Now, if only Lucius was taken care of, I might mold the boy properly.

* * *

** Downfall (1981)**

* * *

This was to be the most important year in recent history.

Voldemort was about to fall this year.

I had Narcissa check up on James and just as I had predicted, there certainly was a baby due.

Although why would anyone name their son Reginald, I did not understand. Perhaps the idea of more than one Harry running in wizarding Britain had been a bit too much for Albus.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, unlike my last life, the Malfoys and the Potters were actually not at each other's throats all the time.

While I could attribute it to the fact that the Malfoys hadn't joined Voldemort this time around, we could attribute most of the good fortune to Albus's habit of keeping secrets. Most of the order didn't even know that they were fighting a three-way war just a couple years back.

I had already increased my distance from the Dark Lord and made sure that my associates kept concrete alibis. The week after Voldemort's demise, it had all gone to hell. Aurors were sending everyone suspected of being in cahoots with the dark lord to Azkaban.

* * *

When Lord Prince one day came to me with tears on his stoic face, I knew that the Gods were just messing with me now.

For all reasons and purposes, I was a thirty-one year-old grown-up man in this life, not to mention that I had practically lived an entire other life without parents.

To me, James and Lily were just another recently graduated couple. Their death would be unfortunate, but not really something I had spent much thought on.

Apparently, in a twist of fate, Snape was once again in Hogsmeade during the proclamation of the prophecy. Although this time the bartender had not dared to kick the Lord out and Severus had heard the complete prophecy instead of just the half.

When he asked me to grant him one final favor in exchange for the fealty of House Prince to my blood, I took some time before accepting the offer.

The fealty of a House freely given was an old tradition and even older magic was at play. To refuse such an offer was plain stupidity. Should I be able to save Lily Potter from the clutches of death, the entirety of House Prince would forever be forced to protect me and those of my blood even at the cost of their life.

Unfortunately, I had thought that this time around Severus would have no reason to visit Hogsmeade and thus to preserve the timeline I had already provided the Dark Lord with half the prophecy.

Protecting Lily in a way that didn't come back to bite me would be difficult.

* * *

Lily had a habit of visiting Filius Flitwick every saturday regarding her mastery in charms.

That morning I had Bella spread the rumor to one of the ex-slug club members that Flitwick's home had been attacked and that his mother was sent to the hospital.

Slughorn had resigned from his post a few years back and had instead focused on expanding his connections. Within an hour, the portion professor had sent a letter full of condolence to his ex-colleague.

With the help of his contacts, Amycus had easily helped me intercept the mail, and the sixth-year budding drug lord had waited until Lily was at the gates, heading back to her home before giving the tiny professor the letter.

Lily, ever the Gryffindor wasn't about to let her professor go to the hospital alone, and in return for a small bribe, the receptionist took all the time in the world before confirming that Flitwick's mother was not in their care.

Once they had confirmed that the old woman was not in the hospital, they had gone to make sure that the family was fine.

By the time Lily dropped the relieved professor back at Hogwarts and went home the prophecy had already been acted upon.

Voldemort was gone, at least for the time being.

I knew that Sirius was gonna run after Pettigrew as soon as he knew about what had happened and so had made sure they took good care of him in one of Alecto's establishments.

Once again, the world had borne witness to the boy-who-lived, and this time around Lily Potter was alive to raise the kid.

* * *

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Clumsy Psychopath


	5. Book IV – Aftermath

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

* * *

**Book IV – Aftermath**

* * *

**Responsibility (1982)**

* * *

Fortunately, I had already ordered all my men to hole up in the weeks to come.

Even petty criminals were being sentenced to Azkaban. It was as if the Auror department had suddenly been gifted with balls of steel.

I had no problems with it.

The head of the Auror Department at the time was Amelia Bones, the woman Sirius had been dating for the past few weeks. If I played my cards right, they would soon be married.

Having the head of the Auror department in the family could only be an asset to the business.

* * *

Pettigrew was still on the loose. The papers, the next day, had announced the death of Lord Voldemort and how the miracle baby and his mother were the last living Potters.

As soon as she realized what had happened, Lily had revealed about their plans to change the secret keeper and sent the Aurors looking for the rat animagus.

Not that they would ever be able to find him.

It had devastated Sirius when he came to know that his plan had backfired and now his friends were dead because of him.

Amycus and Sirius had gone on a mole hunt and their expression, when they returned a week later, had said it all.

No one ever saw Peter again.

* * *

Voldemort was gone, but he wasn't dead. I had to start preparations for when he would come back.

Amidst all the confusion, it was the best time to break Grindelwald out of prison.

The last decade had been more than enough to get the poison settled in the older man's body. There was no way he could do much harm to me now.

* * *

The Dark Lord's departure had caused the werewolves under him to go rogue. I encouraged Remus to take responsibility and gave them my land to live and breed on.

With the sudden power vacuum, I had been spending more time helping the public and made sure that the people knew that it was I who helped them.

* * *

Public opinion was an essential aspect of being the Minister of Magic.

* * *

**Freedom (1983)**

* * *

After a few months of infighting between the two alphas, Remus finally took Fenrir down in a one-on-one duel.

The pack came together under the banner of their new leader. Most were still simple sheep in wolf's clothing, creatures with no ambition or goal in life. Their lives rotated around working enough to get their next meal. Remus had offered them a new home, a place from where they would not be chased off, and food in exchange for them working for me.

Almost everyone agreed.

We took those who resisted, down.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on whom you asked, a few dead werewolves were nothing the Auror department concerned themselves with.

Forcing Severus and Remus to work together to produce wolfsbane potion for my private army was not as difficult as I had feared.

Being my vassal, Severus had no choice other than to obey my will.

Remus, apologizing profusely for what had happened in his third year, had helped.

* * *

Sirius wasn't happy when I asked him to make peace with Severus, but he didn't object. He mostly did it because he thought I was using Severus to help good men like Remus integrate back into society.

Wolfsbane didn't stop the transformation, it let the wizard be in control of the change. It would be a considerable gain if my army could become five times as powerful as they were, once a month.

I wanted to look into something that let these mongrels keep their power even on regular days.

Thoughts for some other time perhaps…

* * *

Fenrir's dead body was transfigured to look like Grindelwald from the inside-out.

The plan to free the dark lord was afoot.

Augustus had looked into the Department of Mysteries for something that could help us break into prison.

Unsurprisingly, the British government did.

Thanks Merlin for those backstabbing politicians.

I had asked Alecto to empty one of her less frequently used brothels. When I asked Lucius to prepare documents for one Abernathy Gaunt, he had only smiled before bowing and exiting the room.

* * *

That was one more thing I had noticed ever-growing in these past years. People bowing to me had become a commonplace occurrence.

After months of planning, the day had finally arrived.

Freedom was my gift to Lord Grindelwald on his hundredth birthday, and the Lestrange brothers had been the ones to execute the plan.

* * *

**Loose Ends (1984)**

* * *

For once, I seemed to have lucked out. There was no need for my interference in bringing Bones into the family.

Arcturus had no problem with Sirius bringing home a pure-blooded woman of old ancestry. That Amelia Bones herself was a witch with strong magic and the head of the Auror department could only have been the cherry on top.

* * *

The country had finally settled back after the departure of he-who-must-not-be-named.

I had guests from all around the world to join in the festivities.

Grindelwald was hidden away in the establishment Alecto had emptied and was now undergoing medical therapy.

For all the knowledge of both light and dark magic, of runes and Arithmancy, of time, and the world hidden between the worlds, he was but a man, and nothing he had tried had improved his condition.

At first, healers thought the cough and migraines to be a symptom of something the man had caught on in the place where they imprisoned him, but it was not to be.

After further medical tests and a few healing rituals, I hadn't been able to comprehend, Grindelwald concluded that while captured, the German government must have tried to poison him.

His rage was palpable, everything considered, he had barely ten more years amongst the living.

At first, I was afraid that he might try to become immortal, follow up the legend of the deathly hallows, but looked like after being defeated by Dumbledore even with the elder wand, the story of arcane folklores had lost its meaning to the man.

He had embraced death and had made peace with himself.

In exchange for all his knowledge, he asked me to destroy the Germans.

It would have been foolish of me to refuse.

If he wanted to make me his protege, I wasn't about to stop him.

* * *

The Lestrange brothers were becoming a problem as of late. They were the ones who had freed Grindelwald and eventually should the officials discover the body, someone might follow the trail and catch on to me.

On my command, Severus made an enraging portion for me.

The plan was delicate. I had in passing given the chocolate to Rabastan saying it was from Bella who wanted him to ask her grandfather for the marriage proposal.

I can only assume that when a drugged Rabastan had been laughed upon by the Lord of Blacks, he went in for the kill. Most people who knew the Lestrange brothers had no trouble believing that the hot-headed wizard might have tried killing the wizard.

Since only the older boy was in a haze, I was sure that the younger one would help take care of escape.

It was essential for them to escape for at least a few hours for the portion to clear out from the body.

* * *

Amelia was dead set on finding and punishing the murderers of her father-in-law, and they threw the brothers in Azkaban after a short hearing where the brothers accepted that they had indeed killed the older wizard.

With them gone, no one would ever come to know that Grindelwald had escaped his prison.

* * *

I had even asked Alex to place a few ships near the north sea and kill any shipwrecks in case the brothers planned to escape the prison.

* * *

Payback's a bitch. Isn't it Arcturus?

* * *

**Lord Black (1985)**

* * *

With the election year approaching close, I started going out in public more than ever.

For pretence's sake, I needed to leave behind security and move around as a typical wizard would.

* * *

Going to meet various lords and ladies in the ministry became an everyday occurrence.

Arcturus had already taught Sirius all about his responsibilities as the future head of House Black, so the ascension went without a hitch.

* * *

To increase our public standing, Bella had opened a new foundation to help the victims of the last war with permanent medical issues.

Slytherin Sanatorium was a booming success. Many old families had provided funds to get back the face they had lost after being on the losing side in the war.

Bella already had more than enough social connection to maintain the hospital on her own without my input or support.

We granted medical facilities for the poor and rehabilitation centres for the youth.

All of it only helped endear me to the public even more.

* * *

Sirius as the new Lord Black helped establish more elusive relationships with Gryffindors we had not mingled with in the past.

The prospect was looking better than ever. My opposition for the seat was a sleazeball, Cornelius Fudge, a puppet minister put forward by Dumbledore. Fudge was a simple man who would not make any radical changes or any decision that might garner disfavour from the public. He was a career politician.

On the bright side, the country could do some stability, but I wasn't about to let him take my chair for a reason as plebeian as stability of the country.

The man would be easy to defeat, he was the least likely of the three nominated to become the minister.

Bartemius Crouch was the only real opposition. He had served in the ministry for many years and truth be told; he was a man who would have done well for the nation.

He was a practical, stoic, and strong man willing to make decisions that others would find hard.

I had dirt on him.

Crouch's political assassination had already started, and the man didn't even knew.

* * *

**Family (1986)**

* * *

The government had finally acknowledged Remus as the alpha under whom all the werewolves of Britain fell, and was now the head of the werewolves liaison office. Not that it came in the way of his duties as my vassal.

Most of the werewolves were spread through the country, but about a hundred stayed on my land. They were the ones who had willingly sworn themselves to protect me with their lives.

* * *

Slowly, the news that Crouch Junior had been a death eater came in full view. It was not something I could have made possible in a day.

Some people don't like people smearing others' reputations for their gains. I did not understand why, but the bad publicity wasn't worth it.

The process took a few weeks, but soon people were in an uproar. They made protests, and it forced Bartemius to take back his nomination.

* * *

Fudge and I were the only contenders left.

I took the step that would establish myself in the public's eye as a family man and let the world know about the union of the House of Black and the House of Gaunt.

The marriage was an ostentatious affair, we invited the heads of different departments, and I smiled at all those monkeys.

Hands were shaken, and deals were made. I milked the occasion for all it was worth.

Not all of it was business. Though I would never admit it to anyone, Bella looked gorgeous.

I was, at last, a married man.

* * *

Our marriage was not the hottest topic of the year. No, that award went to Severus's wedding. In the past few years, Severus and Lily had once again come close, and the woman had decided she was still too young to be a widow.

I can't say I disagreed.

Reginald Potter, the last of his name, had not been renamed as the heir of Prince, that title would be given to any sons Lily Potter, once Evans, now Prince might bear in the future.

The marriage faced many criticisms. The public was in turmoil about how inappropriate it was for the mother of their saviour to give herself to another man.

Like I have numerous times stated, a sheep's opinion matters little.

* * *

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Cheers,

Clumsy Psychopath


	6. Book V – The Beginning of the End

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.

* * *

**Book V – The**** Beginning of the End**

* * *

**Traitor (1987)  
**

* * *

The day started like any other. The manor had been finished only a few days before and was in the process of being decorated for the results of tomorrow's election.

Most of it was a farce, everyone already knew who would become the next Minister of Magic. Pockets had been filled to the brim, and those who weren't bought were blackmailed.

I wanted my nomination to be unanimous.

My friends and companions were sitting in front of me around the large dining table. The dinner was done, but I had a few last moment announcements to make.

These were the witches and wizards I had spent most of my life with. I had lied to them, manipulated them, played them like the fools they were. However, even so, a small part of me had come to care for them. It was not precisely love, but it was something.

They were the family I had made for myself in this strange world.

And tonight I was planning to make it official.

Few bonds are stronger than those of family, and tonight I had decided to name this ragtag group my family. Already I had two other Gaunts beside me sitting on the table. Abernathy Gaunt, who had started teaching me statecraft and the arcane magic of old, his connections proving to be just as useful as he had claimed, and my wife Bellatrix Gaunt who had in the morning announced to me that I was going to be a father soon.

To Walden, who had renounced his family in all but name, who had committed horrendous deeds that I had not even told you, deeds that should never see the light of the day. To my oldest companion and my most loyal soldier, the man who would without a second thought fight and kill for me, I bestowed him with the name Walden of House Gaunt.

To Amycus, the little boy I met in the second year, the drug kingpin of Britain and now half of America. To the man who ran my casinos and the master of my coins, I bestowed him with the name Amycus of House Gaunt.

To Alecto, the twisted little psychopath I had come to care for as a little sister, the woman who held dirt over half the witches and wizards in the country, the aphrodite of wizarding Britain, I bestowed her with the name Alecto of House Gaunt.

To Augustus, the man who framed his father to further my ambitions, my most trusted and formidable lieutenant and the most powerful mind mage in possibly the whole continent, to the man who was my eyes and ears in places I couldn't reach, I bestowed him with the name Augustus of House Gaunt.

It was a family I had built with my own two hands. The family that, as of now, held two witches and five, soon to be six wizards.

Strangely, it reminded me of the family I had once lost, my real family. However, unlike them, the witches and wizards here on this table were not of my blood, and yet they had proved themselves time and again to be just as loyal if not more.

The meeting broke when I received a letter from Wizengamot that Fudge wanted to take private counsel with me. Looks like he didn't want to be the man who went into history as the candidate who lost with the maximum votes.

I had no problem obliging and apparated to the ministry. Submitting my wand before I went into the room, I was taken aback to see Dumbledore waiting for me.

It was then I realised the mistake I had made.

Without the wand, I was unable to do anything, and the Aurors, hand-picked member of the order of the phoenix, petrified me. A private trial before the chief warlock and seven Aurors had found me guilty of the murder of Wallace Macnair.

Bloody Arcturus, even in death he had played me once again. The evidence was flimsy at best, but they were damning enough to cart me off to Azkaban.

And here we are.

I was the man who had lost everything.

Tomorrow at the first light of dawn, Fudge will be elected as the new Minister of Magic.

Everything that I had built would be torn down by Dumbledore one brick at a time.

However, I'm not going to go down so readily.

Looking at the ring on my finger, I smiled once again. Tomorrow, when the guard would loosen the wards to bring me food and water, the little portkey hidden in the ring would take me to the armada standing a hundred miles to the west of castle Azkaban.

I would take back once again what was destined to be mine.

I would kill Dumbledore.

But most important of all, there was a traitor in my close circle.

I had no idea who it was, but I would find them.

And I would make them pay.

* * *

**Muse:**

All right, guys. This is it. It's the end of part one.

I hope you all loved it.

Thank you to all who have followed and favourited this story.

Be sure to share with me how you felt about this fic.

Most fics on this site are cheery little things. I finally got fed up with the cringe, and decided to write something of my own.

By the way, let me know if you hate my fast-paced style of writing. Should I receive enough reviews regarding this, I might decide to rewrite part one before starting on part two.

Also, don't worry because I won't just be lengthening the chapters, I have tonnes of new ideas I could use to make part one even juicier.

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Let me know in the comment section how much you appreciated/hated my work.

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Clumsy Psychopath


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